Seanad debates

Wednesday, 26 March 2014

10:30 am

Photo of Marc MacSharryMarc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group and as somebody who served with the former Senator and late Deputy McFadden, I express our sympathy to Nicky's family, particularly her two adult children, the community in Athlone and the Fine Gael Party. She was a great friend to everybody in the House. As a town councillor, county councillor, Senator and Deputy she exemplified how business could and should be done, in an amicable way while still at times being robust in the defence of the values she pursued and tried to promote in such a professional and exemplary manner. We could all learn from that and follow her great example. As you correctly said, a Chathaoirligh, she faced her illness with great courage and great leadership, in terms of the fund-raising and way she used her position to promote the importance of highlighting this terrible illness and the fact that we must do much more about it. She faced it with great courage and dignity. We absolutely agree with the suggestion that the House not sit tomorrow to allow all Members who wish it to mark the passing of Nicky and attend the funeral. All Members look forward to participating in more fulsome tributes to Nicky at a later date.

We must oppose the Order of Business for today, given the very serious situation that has been ongoing over the last few days. Notwithstanding the fact that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, is engaged in a debate in the other House, as a third part of the Oireachtas it is important that this House also do its duty in parallel. For that reason we call on the Taoiseach to make himself available today to come to this House and answer questions and make a statement on these matters. In the event that he is not available due to affairs of State, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, the pioneering Minister who appears to have forced the hand of the former Garda Commissioner, Mr. Callinan, and presumably the Minister, Deputy Shatter, as he prepares to make a statement in the Dáil, could make himself available today. There should be no shortage of Ministers to come to the House, given that Ministers such as Deputies Noonan, Coveney and others have made themselves available on the airways, in the absence of the Minister, Deputy Shatter, in recent days, and allow us to play our role on behalf of the people of Ireland in questioning and scoping out the true implications of this most ugly situation.

Can the Leader say how many working groups currently operate without the knowledge of the line Minister under the auspices of this Government? That is the key question. How many working groups operate in isolation with what appears to be full independence and plenipotentiary status without the knowledge of the line Minister? Despite the fact that we often disagree and are divided on how to achieve the end we all seek, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, has been calm and assured in carrying out his duties in the last number of years and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, whether we agree or disagree with various aspects of his work, has also been calm and assured in carrying out his duties. It is a shame how mediocre and unprofessional they have been made to appear in the defence of the indefensible.

The situation is not credible. Somebody somewhere is lying through their teeth. Yes, everybody seemed to miss the implications of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, report last June, but are there no people in the Department who read such reports and report to the Minister of the day? This is very important and I beg the Cathaoirleach's indulgence. When the Garda Commissioner then consults with the Attorney General and a working group is set up, does nobody tell the Minister? A working group has been set up to investigate what appears to be highly illegal activity, but the Minister is not told about it. Finally, something very important that was omitted from the Taoiseach's statement yesterday, Senator O'Keeffe's contribution last night and the various contributions from Ministers and the Tánaiste is the fact that the Garda Commissioner sent a letter by courier to the Secretary General of the Department specifically asking that these issues be brought to the Minister's attention. It appears they were not.

This situation is incredible from beginning to end. The reality is that heads must roll. People cannot have confidence in how the police force of this nation is being managed-----

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