Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that the Taoiseach come to the Seanad to explain the circumstances behind the allegation regarding the shredding of files in the Department of the Taoiseach and the leaking of a letter to The Irish Times and the failure to lay it before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The matter dealt with by him in the Dáil yesterday is of the most serious nature and elected representatives are entitled to find out if there was a Garda investigation, who is under suspicion in the Department and whether the Taoiseach is blaming civil servants, the former Taoiseach or a deceased former Minister for Finance? We do not know. I would like to know whether it has been brought to the Taoiseach's attention that a substantial file running to hundreds of pages is available on the website of the Committee of Public Accounts of the previous Dáil. It is not good enough for him to go into the Dáil to make allegations that he made up on the spur of the moment. If he were to come to the House, it would give him an opportunity to rebut the suggestion I have made because it seems to have been made on the spur of the moment thrown in a debate in which he was challenged rightly and seriously on behalf of the people on what exactly the Government was up to in negotiations with Angela Merkel. It is of the utmost importance that he come into the House if he is not available to make an explanation in the Dáil to outline what he is talking about in regard to this file. We have a right to know. Therefore, I propose the amendment I have described.