Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ar dtús báire, ní aontaím leis an Teachta. Níl an ceart aici sa mhéid atá ráite aici go dtí seo. I strongly disagree with the Deputy's assertion that I knew about this on 3 or 4 July. Allegations, assertions and media questions are not facts. Deputy Cowen is still, as he was at the time, adamant with regard to the accuracy of the report from his PULSE file. At that stage, he did not have access to that file and I certainly did not. I did not see it until yesterday morning. I sought it on Monday night but Deputy Cowen was not in a position to bring it with him at that time. I told him I needed to see the file. I had a long discussion with him on Monday night regarding his account of what transpired. At approximately 7.30 a.m. the following morning, a copy of the file itself was sent to my phone. I had discussions with him on Monday night and read the actual, factual account in the report for the first time yesterday morning. The Deputy should not assert that I knew what I knew yesterday morning a week ago because I did not. I read it myself in what the garda put on the file.

I also had a difficulty insofar as Deputy Cowen questions the accuracy of that report on the file and is going through a legal process to get it changed. In addition, the matter of the release of his data is being examined and investigated by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. I was, however, fully satisfied yesterday that the Deputy should come before the Dáil. That was Deputy McDonald's assertion yesterday; she demanded that he come before the Dáil to make a statement. We voted for the Order of Business as agreed by the Business Committee yesterday. The Order of Business, however, did not preclude Deputy Cowen making a statement. I made it clear to Deputy Cowen yesterday morning that he should come before the House. He said he would not, and I told him I wanted him to reflect on that. As soon as Leaders' Questions was over, I contacted the Deputy and told him that his position in refusing to come before the Dáil was not acceptable or tenable and that he would have to come before the Dáil. He still refused to take that route.

The fundamental difference between myself and Deputy Cowen on this issue is that he took a legal route and a legalistic approach to defend his rights, in his words, as a citizen and as a public representative. In my view, this issue could only be resolved through the political route, that is, by coming before Dáil Éireann. It did not have to be yesterday, it could have been today or tomorrow, but a comprehensive statement on this issue from the Deputy was required in this House. I accept what Deputies in this House have said. I believe that office holders, and Ministers in particular, should come before the House to answer questions on issues of public interest.

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