Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Darragh O'Brien and other colleagues in commending Judge Peter Smithwick on the valuable work he and his inquiry team conducted in producing this report over the last seven or eight years. I share the sentiments expressed by all of those Senators who contributed on that issue.

It is important, as Senator Darragh O'Brien stressed, that nothing in this report detracts from the great and good work of the Garda force over the years of the Troubles in policing the safety of our people and the institutions of the State. We must remember that only three officers were named in this report. The references to inappropriate and improper contact with members of the Provisional IRA involved no more than three that Judge Smithwick could identify, and it referred to one Garda station in the country, namely, Dundalk. We have to get matters in perspective in that regard.

I raised the report with the Leader yesterday and he said it was imminent. He was right, proving he is probably better informed than the rest of us. I thank him for his commitment yesterday - I have no doubt he will give it again this morning - to allow us a full debate on this report in early course.

If I may, I want to refer to one recommendation in the report. We have all referred over the years to issues regarding the Border, for example, the smuggler mentality and the illegal activities such as fuel laundering, cigarette smuggling and so on.