Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

The McCracken report regarding the Dunnes payment inquiry established the test that even when no proof of corruption or of a quid pro quo for payments exists, the making of payments of such magnitude to a politician creates a suspicion of corruption and has a corroding effect on the body politic. Ultimately, the courts and the tribunals established by the Oireachtas are the last defence against corruption in politics and there has been a serious attempt to undermine the integrity——