Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, "That No. 16 be taken before No. 1."

As we have seen in recent days in the fallout from the Garda conferences there is the threat of suspension, as I mentioned yesterday. Rather than it being diffused, it appears to grown further legs where the Minister, the Garda Commissioner and other authorities have got involved and that those involved will be disciplined. That is regrettable. I ask the deputy Leader to make contact with the Minister for Justice and Equality, even at this late stage, to diffuse the row. There is no need for it. The Garda has a very difficult job and a limited set of tools with which to highlight its concerns. In the confines of its own conference this was done. I am not necessarily condoning what they did but to move to a disciplinary process, following what happened, will not endear the Government and the authorities to the Garda or contribute to morale at a time when it is at an all time low. We should seek to build bridges and ensure the Garda has everything it needs to carry out its difficult job on our behalf. I do not believe any disciplinary action should be taken against the four gentlemen who, in the final analysis, were raising issues of genuine concern to their members.

This week a year ago, Dún Uí Néill Barracks in Cavan closed with the transfer of 120 Army personnel from the Border county of Cavan to Athlone. At the time, my colleague who is attending another meeting, Senator Wilson, warned of the potential for dissident activities increasing as a result of the removal of the security which was offered by the Army barracks and personnel there. Indeed, we have seen in recent weeks where two cars on the Border of Fermanagh and Cavan were picked up loaded with explosives. As none of us need be reminded, the G8 summit takes place in Fermanagh later this year and it is vitally important that security is provided on both sides of the Border for that. I wonder whether the Leader could inquire as to what aspect the Army will take in the preparations for that, and highlight that Dún Uí Néill Barracks, had it still been open, would be an obvious location from where to carry out this work.

I ask the Deputy Leader to inquire of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in terms of its visa issuing procedures, that it would interline with its British counterparts, in particular, in the context of the G8. It has come to my attention this morning that the substantial Russian and Chinese delegations making inquiries to base themselves south of the Border in preparation for the G8 summit are being hampered seriously by the authorities, both in Britain and in Ireland, who are responsible for issuing visas for this purpose.