Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I join Members in thanking Mr. Justice Morris for his report on happenings in Donegal which brought shame on many members of the Garda Síochána. These caused distress to the vast majority of members of the force who go about their business in a professional manner serving communities fairly, diligently and effectively and without fear or favour. This has been the hallmark of the Garda Síochána since its foundation. What went on in Donegal was an absolute disgrace. The lives of families were destroyed because of the inexplicable and dreadful behaviour of serving gardaí. What a travesty of justice would have taken place if the Morris tribunal had not been set up. It would not have been set up without the dogged determination of former Deputy Jim Higgins and Deputy Brendan Howlin, who did the country a considerable public service — a fact acknowledged by impartial commentators and by the public. Without the intervention of former Deputy Higgins and Deputy Howlin, the unseemly happenings in Donegal would not have been uncovered. The Minister of State alluded to some of these happenings.

A family's life and the lives of the extended family were destroyed after allegations were made that they were involved in a murder. There was no foundation to those allegations. Gardaí were involved in the manufacture of bomb-making material and in planting explosive materials. A gun was planted by a detective sergeant at a halting site in Burnfoot to obtain a conviction. Drugs were planted on a person. There was wrongful arrest and ill-treatment of innocent people when in custody. These were but some of the actions on which Mr. Justice Morris reported. As a result, one senior garda was fired, as were rank and file gardaí, and we witnessed a spate of resignations.

I am sorry the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, is not here, although I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan. The Minister's rant and attempt at character assassination of Deputy Howlin and former Deputy Higgins in his contribution in the other House last week was a display of arrogance and an insult to the high office he has the honour to hold. He spent nine of his 15 minutes having a go at former Deputy Higgins and Deputy Howlin. Talk about shooting the messenger. He did not even have the grace to apologise to the families who had their lives destroyed as a result of the actions of the agents of the State. I am glad this has been rectified here by the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan.

What were Deputy Howlin and former Deputy Higgins to do at that time? They came upon information in which serious allegations were made. They stated that they could not stand over the allegations to the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform but insisted the allegations should be investigated. They deliberately chose not to use the privilege of the House to make the allegations and did as a former Taoiseach, Liam Cosgrave, did in informing the then Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, of allegations that some Ministers were involved in the importation of arms. There was no other mechanism for them. They were damned if they did and damned if they did not. It took over six years for a tribunal, at a cost of over €70 million, to investigate fully what went on in Donegal at that time. The Deputies were vindicated by their actions.

As a result of this tribunal, a Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission has been set up and an independent Garda inspectorate. These moves will, I hope, ensure that the likes of what happened in Donegal will never happen again. The measures taken will, I hope, restore public confidence in a force of which we should be proud, which has served the country well in difficult times and which should not be judged on the actions of some members who were a disgrace to their uniform.

I commend Mr. Justice Morris on his report. I also commend the former Deputy Higgins and the current Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Deputy Howlin, on their actions which brought about the tribunal. I condemn the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, for his disgraceful contribution in the other House, which was a vindictive and scurrilous attack on two people who did a great service to the nation by their actions.