Results 10,741-10,760 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: That is in the report. The Deputy is shooting the messenger.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Kathleen Lynch is shooting the messenger

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The whistleblower.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: On behalf of the State, I apologise to those people who were adversely affected by the awful actions of some members of the Garda Síochána. However, I do not apologise for anything I have said with regard to the two Deputies, although that does cause me a problem in that I have to come in here to defend it.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I could have glossed over this issue, but did not because the eighth report was very pertinent to the way in which we deal with our business. I am fully in favour of proper regulated whistleblowing. I was asked what I would do in that case. Over the course of my career I have been the recipient of anonymous allegations. I well recall one occasion when I was in opposition, just before an...

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is a disgrace and it is he rather than I who has let himself down by his remark.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I very much agree with Deputies and people in public life being able to make whistleblowing allegations. It is incumbent on us to provide both for how we do our business in the House and for how we give the Garda Síochána or other professional bodies the opportunity to make allegations in a way which is regulated and properly organised. That fact cannot be denied. With regard to the issue...

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Mr. Justice Morris clearly understood the way political life happens when he said——

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I am quoting from his report. He said the two Teachtaí Dála were quick——

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: He said the two Teachtaí Dála were quick to crank up the political temperature with regard to the allegations by taking them immediately to the Minister. Again, he refers to the fact that the Minister——

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I am not hiding behind the book. We are discussing the Morris tribunal report.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: We are discussing the report, but because there is a criticism of the Deputy, he is shooting the messenger, and he shot the messenger when this report was published.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The full conclusions are in the report.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I will comment on Abbeylara. I am well aware of the ability or non-ability of the Oireachtas to inquire into issues. Deputy Howlin tried to suggest that Mr. Justice Morris wanted him to set up a full inquiry as to the source of his allegations.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: What he said was that the Deputies should have returned to their sources and pressed them further for more information or evidence backing up the allegations. He said the tribunal was concerned that public representatives would receive and act upon such serious and sensational allegations without pressing their sources of information. That is all he was asking, not for a full inquiry as...

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: If I ignored that, it would have been a dereliction of my duty.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: On the first issue the Deputy mentioned about allegations coming to my attention, it has always been my practice with anonymous allegations, of which I have received many in my 21-year career in this House, if I cannot in some way make inquiries as to their source, to bin them. I particularly instance the issue to which I referred earlier where it was clear that we were not able to stand it...

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Regarding the covert surveillance Bill, we wanted an independent Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission so that it could investigate these.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As far as I am concerned some problems with its modus operandi may need to be ironed out because it is in a learning process and not operational that long. The covert surveillance Bill is well advanced and I will shortly ask Government to allow publication of the scheme of the Bill. The general approach in the Bill will be that applications will be made on judicial authorisation although...

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: On a point of order, it was contained in my speech this morning. To the best of my recollection it was in the press release I issued some time ago.