Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

I agree. I will merely read the final line of the court's judgment into the record. It states:

. . . However, the Government has refused to assist the applicant, the legislation does not permit the Tribunal to assist ahead of making findings, and the case-law does not permit of an exception in the applicant's case. . .

The judge is quite clearly stating that while he and the tribunal do not have the power to award the kind of costs sought by the McBrearty family, the Government does have such power. Previous Administrations did so in respect of the Stardust tribunal and the blood tribunal. It has also been done by the UK Government in respect of the families who went before the Bloody Sunday inquiry.

Will the Leader ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to before the House, as a matter of urgency, in order that we might re-examine this matter? Our Constitution guarantees equality of treatment for all, but there is no equality of treatment in how this family is being treated.

Most Members will welcome yesterday's decision by the regulator to overturn the decision by An Post to foist roadside letterboxes on communities throughout the country. The company has obviously lost sight of its remit in respect of its social agenda. The postman is often the only person with whom elderly people in rural areas come into contact each day. The arrogance of the company was underlined by the fact that it proceeded, without permission from the regulator, to purchase 500,000 letterboxes at a cost of €10 million. It is clear that, for a company that is so cash-strapped, it has obviously lost the run of itself. There is a need for the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to come before the House to outline if he, as the main shareholder, was consulted in respect of this daft decision.