Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On a daily basis, on myriad issues, they are there at the front line of their communities representing the people who have put faith in and elected them.

On the RTE programme that was broadcast on Tuesday night, I know two of the three councillors featured in that personally and I have found those two councillors to be hard-working, decent and honourable people. I put that on the record of the House. I will hold any judgment on those two councillors who I know very well until such time as a proper investigation is carried out. I have concerns about the way some of that broadcast was edited and presented to the public. I will not jump on any bandwagon to bash anybody until I am satisfied of the bona fides of that. It could take some time for that to become clear. I will not rush to judgment. I take people as I see them and those two individuals, one from Sligo and one from Monaghan, whom I know personally, are decent people and elected by their communities for many, many years.