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

The Deputy has raised a very serious issue. The first case, when I read up on it and so forth, went to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. The existing mechanisms and investigative authorities have not been in a position to bring this to what one would anticipate the conclusion should be. Governments do not engage in the operational side of prosecution and so forth, but this matter raises very serious issues on which I will be consulting with others in terms of how to deal with them. However, there is an overall issue that the Oireachtas and the Executive cannot investigate every case. There is a real issue here regarding the authorities and how diligently assertions and allegations of this nature are followed up and dealt with comprehensively, because they have not been dealt with comprehensively in this case. I am very concerned about it and about what I have read today in the articles the Deputy mentioned. I will give further consideration to this and revert to the Deputy.

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