Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Leader of the House for providing time tomorrow for Members to pay tributes to the late, great Brian Lenihan. I extend my sympathy, as I have already, to his wife and family and to his aunt, Mary O'Rourke, who was Leader of this House. I have a long link with them because I was assistant director of elections in 1969 for his father with whom I started my political career. I learnt a great deal from Brian senior and the family. In relation to the Seanad, when I brought the Private Members' Bill here, it was Brian Lenihan who brought the Bill with me through the House and was so helpful on that issue. He had great respect for this House. He came here regularly as a Minister.

I thank the Taoiseach and the Cabinet for deciding that the Dáil should be suspended today as a mark of respect and also for being at the funeral in such great numbers. It showed great respect for a colleague. I also thank the Fine Gael Party for asking Brian to give the oration at the monument to Michael Collins at Béal na mBláth last year. That was one of the greatest honours bestowed on him, he felt, of linking up the political past, and he took great interest in that speech. May he rest in peace.

The Leader of the House, who happens to be nominated by the GRA, the AGSI and the Garda superintendents, must be shocked and horrified to hear that the Government will suspend the training of gardaí in Templemore at this stage and that Templemore will have no trainees for the next two years. We never needed the service of gardaí more than we do now. We need them more than ever. This is certainly a signal to the gangsters, bombers and assassins that they will be subject to less control now than they were in the past. It is the principal responsibility of Government to defend its citizens. By deciding not to have further-----