Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I welcome Senator Mark Dearey to the House and congratulate him on his appointment. It is an honour to be appointed to this House. I congratulate him on that. He arrives at an eventful time in politics and perhaps an eventful and challenging day for the Green Party. I congratulate Senator Dearey on his appointment to this House.

A serious issue has arisen today in regard to a Minister of the Government. It is reported that a Minister of State tried to influence the Garda to stop a prosecution and that the said Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, sent a series of letters to the force telling it that it would be wholly inappropriate at this point to prosecute one of his constituents. Apparently, a series of letters were sent to the Garda by the Minister of State. I would very much like to hear the Minister of State make a statement on these facts because very serious questions arise in relation to some of the information which has been published so far. A Minister cannot interfere during the course of a criminal investigation to have a summons dropped. This is not an acceptable standard. Will the Leader clarify if the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, and the Taoiseach will have another meeting today to discuss this matter which raises serious questions about the relationship between the legal process, politics and a Minister's behaviour? I note there has not been a tweet out of Senator Dan Boyle on it.