Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

They are fair questions, but all I can give the Deputy is an honest assessment of what I know. I only learned about the issue yesterday and, to be honest, only focused on it this morning when I asked for the email traffic into and from Ministers' offices and so on. As I said, Deputy Ó Snodaigh raised the issue. The email he sent was cc'd to a series of people. He did not copy it to me, as the then Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, but when one of the people who received the email, in Co-operative Housing Ireland, responded to him, my office was cc'd in that email. I am trying to establish what happened in that regard, but what I know for sure is that the then Minister for Justice and Equality sent a comprehensive response to the Deputy. She was the appropriate line Minister.

This was an illegal act. Intimidation was going on and serious concerns were raised legitimately by colleagues in this House. Yesterday was the first I heard of it and we will now follow the trail of who knew what and when, as well as the responses. The appropriate Minister responded and this is a Garda matter. With regard to the extent of this activity, I certainly hope it is not common practice on other sites. It is something for An Garda Síochána to deal with.

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