Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

They are not agreed. It has been six days since The Ditchwebsite published very serious allegations about the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins. He finally responded to them yesterday, after we wrote to the Business Committee requesting that there would be a statement from the Minister of State, as well as a question-and-answer session. He did not dispute a single allegation set out on The Ditchwebsite. He did not dispute that his wife contacted Limerick County Council when he was a councillor seeking to buy a parcel of land. He did not dispute that he then participated in the decision to put that land up for sale. He did not dispute that he did not recuse himself. He did not declare his conflict of interest. He did not abstain from voting in this decision.

On the face of it, it is a very clear breach of the code of conduct for councillors. It is quite likely a criminal offence under the Local Government Act. We, therefore, need not just a statement from the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, which I understand he has agreed to do and which is welcome, but we need the opportunity for Deputies to have questions and answers with him.

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