Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support what my friend and relation and colleague, Senator Michael Mullins, had to say about the banks in respect of small businesses. I certainly think that the banks are not playing their part in helping small businesses survive and thrive in our communities. Senator Mullins mentioned the charges involved. Recently when a person who was involved in a very important local community festival went to lodge money that person was hit by charges. A business owner in Portumna told me about the difficulty when ATM machines are not kept properly supplied. This affects business some evenings in rural towns because not everybody is in a position to operate a credit card system or whatever it is. The banks need to buck up and play their part in the revival of rural economies in particular.

The Garda Síochána has earned the respect of the people of Ireland by being a fair and impartial keeper of the peace since the foundation of the forces in 1922. That is why I am particularly concerned about numerous photographs which have emerged of An Garda Síochána sitting at stands surrounded by "Yes" campaign pro-gay marriage posters in recent weeks and days in the context of people being registered to vote, which is good in itself, but doing so under a clearly partisan political banner which is completely unacceptable. I am astonished that the Minister for Justice and Equality has not yet expressed her concern, so far as I know, about this. These photographs were taken in a number of universities and colleges in recent weeks. The presence of uniformed gardaí at such a location registering voters as they are being given pro "Yes" side information, clearly associates the Garda with one side in the referendum campaign. This opens the Garda to the perception of endorsing a particular political campaign. I am astonished at the lack of judgment and the lapse of judgment of a retired Supreme Court judge, who is quite entitled to take a position in the referendum, but to participate in a photocall involving the Garda in a registration campaign, again organised under the banner of one side of the argument, is remarkable.

The Government is currently being sued in the Supreme Court for using State resources improperly in the children's referendum. Here, again, it appears we are looking at the dubious use of State resources. The involvement of members of the Garda Síochána in clearly political campaigns risks undermining the impartiality and respect that members of the force enjoy and, in addition, influencing the voting public to vote in a certain manner.