Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are talking about a gentleman who was involved in organised crime at the same time he was a public representative for a political party. We are talking about a leader of a political party who seeks high office in this country and who went out of her way to facilitate him remaining within her party. Indeed, she took no action, except to canvass for him in an election after, seemingly, people in her party would have been aware of information about him.

If we are not willing to talk about that type of organised crime, as well as all the other aspects of organised crime, we are doing the people of this country a huge disservice. Indeed, not only do I hope the Leas Cheann-Comhairle would not silence me on this, but that would allow Deputy McDonald, when she comes in to make her contribution, to answer the questions I have posed. These are at the heart of the relationship between how we deal with organised crime and how our political and administrative institutions, as well as everything collectively, view organised crime. To me, it is deeply regrettable that a political party would have somebody who is a public representative being organised in this. The judge referred to him as a "callous criminal" and somebody who has a record of torture, and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is asking me not to talk about that in the context of a debate on organised crime. I am afraid I find that very surprising.

I will conclude, because I do not want to argue with the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I appreciate and admire her role as Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I will just make this point. We are concluding now. I will conclude my remarks and I will say this, that the Sinn Féin-----

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