Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

Yesterday I raised an issue about the Ombudsman, Ms Emily O'Reilly's report on the lost at sea scheme conceived by Deputy Frank Fahey when Minister. The Leader said the report would be debated in committee but that the Fine Gael Party wanted it to be debated in the Dáil. He also said he would have no difficulty in allocating time for such a debate. Deputy Creed, speaking for the party in the Dáil, on 17 September 2009, said: "Given the Ombudsman request that both Houses of the Oireachtas should consider the matter, will the Taoiseach introduce a proposal to debate the issue in the House early in the new year and to refer to the matter onwards to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for further investigation?" In the light of that clarification, given the serious issue of maladministration raised by the report, it is important that the matter be debated in committee. The Ombudsman should have an opportunity to attend and presenting her report, as well as the former Minister and officials of the Department. That is what the committee is for. There are important constitutional issues about the role of the Ombudsman and whether the House is to ignore and disrespect her findings.

I want to raise one other matter, namely, the statement made in the Dáil yesterday about the former Taoiseach, Garret FitzGerald. I dissociate myself-----