Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Before addressing the group 4 amendments, last evening in this Chamber, Senator Higgins made allegations in regard to the Garda Commissioner. He suggested in particular that he had misled the public. He suggested also that I had shown shock in public at a misleading statement of the Commissioner and further suggested that I had probably in private reprimanded him on that account. These were very serious charges to lay against an office holder of the status of the Garda Commissioner.

Given that Senator Higgins indicated to the House that all would be revealed in good time, I made it my business this morning to contact the Garda Commissioner to find out the truth of the matter, namely, that there is absolutely no truth whatsoever in the allegations made by Senator Higgins. The truth of the matter is that Commissioner Conroy was only apprised of the alteration of the status of this investigation on the PULSE system in November 2004, he immediately communicated with the relevant parties, he was in no way personally involved in that decision prior to that and the allegations made in this House by Senator Higgins are totally untrue.

I knew they were untrue as regards myself because I was present when the Commissioner made the remarks in public. The Commissioner is a man of transcendent honesty and decency.