Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The matter was raised with the Tánaiste when he was the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. We have the email from Christmas Eve 2016 and it is addressed to the email address of the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. As there was no action arising from that, a further email was issued on 5 January, again address to the Minister. A letter from Co-operative Housing Ireland was addressed to Deputy Simon Coveney, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, and it stated how it would like to join in asking the Minister for any and all assistance. The Tánaiste mentioned the response from the former Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald but there was absolutely no response from the Tánaiste, who was then the Minister with responsibility for housing. We now know from what is happening in court that €500,000 was paid to these criminal elements from the public purse because of what happened when the housing development was built in this area.

The Tánaiste has said there was a comprehensive response from Frances Fitzgerald. She spoke about a Garda investigation into the attack on the JCB, which was absolutely appalling. Deputy Ó Snodaigh raised the matter with the Tánaiste and Deputies Frances Fitzgerald and Catherine Byrne, in their role as Ministers, as well as the Garda. We have correspondence indicating that on three occasions, the Garda was informed about this. This was not investigated and no action was taken by any Minister in response to attempts at extortion from this company. We now know the money was eventually paid through Dublin City Council.

Deputy Ó Snodaigh offered to meet local gardaí and the Minister in person to provide further information but all this fell on a deaf ear. The Minister for Justice and Equality stated that the Garda did not receive any complaints but we have correspondence to the Garda that demonstrates it was aware of the matter.

I want assurances from the Tánaiste that the House can be satisfied this is not happening on any other building site.

As Deputy Ó Snodaigh pointed out, that would lead to contagion. He is not the only Sinn Féin Deputy who has raised this issue or similar issues in Dublin city with the Garda relating to extortion.

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