Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

Senator Denis O'Donovan keeps on telling us about letters and memoranda that are scurrilous and scandalous that he will or might reveal or somebody will reveal if and when they are able to determine their validity. During the term of office of the former Minister, Tony Killeen, on 17 February 2011 the Office of the Chief State Solicitor sent a letter to this unfortunate man's solicitor. It is not normal or usual to have to go into details of this nature about an individual's circumstances, but in the context of the attempt being made to suggest what is being done is in some way improper, let me say the following: the one mistake made by my predecessor, a decent man whom on a personal level I like and I did not want to bring into this debate, was that he did not address this issue by way of legislation far quicker after last September's events. It is most unfortunate that he did not. If he had done so, these issues would have been resolved and we would not now have a backlog of cases. In addressing the issue he, at least, had a degree of decency and humanity about the position in which the individual concerned found himself last summer. At least, he had this, unlike the Fianna Fáil Senators who tried to traduce the reputation of the individual concerned in this House.