Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this important debate. I was taken aback by the statement made by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government that the "findings of the Flood tribunal are a blow to the political system". However, but for the Flood tribunal and its interim findings, the political system would be under suspicion. It is important that the people responsible for wrongdoing have been identified. I am not sure what the Minister meant when he said the "findings of the Flood tribunal are a blow to the political system". The political system needed to be dealt a blow. Unfortunately, that blow affected everyone until those responsible were identified. I have confidence that the Flood tribunal will root out those who have not yet been identified.

It is important for the Minister to make a clear statement that the Flood tribunal will investigate wrongdoing in any part of the country, not only in Dublin. Some people maintain that planning irregularities occurred in the past in other parts of the country. If that is true and if they can be identified, it is important for the Flood tribunal to investigate them. We must face the difficulties and clean up the political system, otherwise people will continue to be suspicious and certain sections of the media will continue to make innuendoes about the activities of councillors.

I was a new Member of the other House when Ray Burke addressed it. I clearly remember him giving an emotional address about himself, his activities and the contribution he had made to public life. I felt sorry for him because he was near to tears and he seemed to be dragged into a position where he did not belong. Statements and innuendoes were made about his integrity and he referred to that in his speech. I did not know then that he was involved in corruption. I did not believe that a tribunal, regardless of its powers, would be able to extract the detailed evidence which the Flood tribunal extracted. We must thank Mr. Justice Flood and his team for the work they did and the way in which they did it.

It is beyond belief that in the past week another former judge, Mr. O'Flaherty, castigated Mr. Justice Flood and queried his capacity to make a judgment. I wonder if Mr. O'Flaherty is suffering from —