Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes. I want to pay a tribute to the former Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinan. I will not go into detail about his decision to resign. That is being well orchestrated. I know him quite well, having met him at many events. He made an outstanding contribution to law and order in this State and that should not be diminished by the events of the past week or two. He fought the "General", Martin Cahill. He fought organised crime. He was involved in the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB. He was a courageous individual and I want to place on record my admiration for him and wish him well in his early retirement from the Garda Síochána. He has left an outstanding record of 42 years of service to this State as a courageous garda and Commissioner. I regret very much the events that led to his unnecessary resignation. I do not think he would have resigned, if he knew then what he knows now.