Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I express my deep condolences to Fine Gael and the McFadden family over the sad loss of Nicky McFadden. She was a lady, a political flower that had not yet blossomed. I soldiered with her on Gerry Ryan's first "Operation Transformation" programme. She had much less to lose than I had. When I heard the news initially I was deeply upset. I found her a confident and polite person. When she spoke in this House she meant what she said and there was no acrimony or political bias. The likes of her are few and far between. Her passing is a loss to Fine Gael and to her constituency, as well as, obviously, a very sad loss for her family.

I second the amendment proposed by Senator MacSharry. As spokesperson for justice it would be remiss of me not to show concern over the unravelling events. I will not repeat the issues Senators MacSharry and Norris have mentioned. The series of events that happened in the past six or eight months and are currently unfolding puts the original 1982 GUBU into the penny ha’penny place. I am deeply concerned that the confidential recipient, Mr. Oliver Connolly, was pushed overboard. In my view the former Garda Commissioner, Mr. Callinan, was pushed overboard. If I were in the position of the Attorney General, Ms Marie Whelan, or the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality, I would want to be wearing a very strong lifejacket in the current climate given what is going on.

Yesterday the Government established a commission of inquiry on the taping of telephone conversations of solicitors, journalists and witnesses which, as Senator Bacik mentioned, is extremely serious. I understand that the Cabinet agreed to set this up in the absence of the Attorney General, Ms Marie Whelan. If that is the case it is of concern.

I have sometimes made political points here - normally that is not my style. I have had my rows with the Minister, Deputy Shatter. I agree with Senator Norris that his position now seems to be impossible. It is a difficult situation for the Government. We should reflect back on 1993 when a seemingly innocuous event with a letter brought down a Government. A letter concerning a paedophile was not presented in time, which was a non-event in one sense. The then Tánaiste, Mr. Dick Spring, brought down that Government because of the serious nature of the matter.

Over the past 24 hours I have been consulted by up to a dozen rank and file gardaí. Ordinary gardaí who are out there protecting our streets, have no knowledge of all this. They are absolutely innocent as far as tape-recording is concerned and are innocent as far as whistleblowers are concerned. Some 98% of them do decent jobs, protecting our homes, lives and property. What is coming to me from my conversations with ordinary gardaí, none above the rank of sergeant, is the deep concern and disbelief at what is happening. There is a lack of morale, a lack of leadership and a lack of trust. I ask the leader to convey to the Taoiseach and the rest of the Cabinet that the trust in the Garda Síochána must be restored urgently.

I wish the acting Commissioner, Noirín O'Sullivan, well in new role. She is inheriting a can of worms. She has decent west Cork connections and I wish her well. There is a serious issue of Garda morale and authority. We need to reinstate the confidence in the Garda urgently.