John Gilroy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have two points to make regarding the controversy in the media surrounding Anglo Irish Bank. Of course, I agree with Senator Darragh O'Brien that we should be responsible in what we say. There is no question about that. However, when ordinary people on our streets and in workplaces, pubs, homes, the media and talk shows are discussing the recent revelations with particular outrage, one cannot say that this House should not have an opinion on it. This House should have a very robust opinion on it. When we are discussing this, let us do our job properly as Senators and leave the parties outside the door while we deliberate on this matter. I say that as a Labour Party Senator whose party's hands are particularly clean on this matter but I will not labour that point.

We have heard much discussion about inquiries and investigations into the situation that evolved. This is an iconic moment in Irish democracy. Twenty years ago, there was significant concern about the apparent impunity with which organised crime operated culminating in the death of journalist Veronica Guerin. After that, the response of our Government was not an ordinary one. It was an extraordinary response where the authorities moved beyond the group-think in which we seem to be caught with regard to this. When we are talking about Oireachtas inquiries and commissions, perhaps we are not going far enough and are not being ambitious enough. Perhaps we should front-load resources into the criminal area or think completely outside the box and devise a new agency with the absolute powers it needs to investigate this matter. This iconic moment will determine what kind of democracy we want to live in. Does the same law apply to a young fellow who might steal one's car from outside one's door and a banker who might steal one's country? The answer to that must be "Yes".