Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Frankly, the Taoiseach is diverting slightly from the crux of the debate, which Senator Bacik captured very well, which is to expedite a criminal investigation.

I call on the Leader to ask the Taoiseach to contact the Garda Commissioner and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement today to ask what has been happening with these tapes for the past three years, who has them, who has heard them and why has action not been taken on them? If it is a case of resources, in terms personnel and adequate expertise in white collar crime which our justice system does not have, they must be provided forthwith. What have any tribunals of investigation ever given us? Issues are considered over a long period of time and a lot of information is garnered, which is important to get, but would we not be better imprisoning the perpetrators and having a criminal investigation forthwith rather than fruitlessly kicking a football around these Houses and with no return to the public?