Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to do something unusual and pay the warmest tribute to the Leader for his interventions in yesterday evening's proceedings on three occasions to guarantee my right to speak in depth on three sections of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015. I did not agree with the guillotine imposed yesterday and voted against it. Once the debate got under way, the Leader, however, gave me a guarantee that I would be able to recommit sections to ensure they could be examined. On four occasions in yesterday's debate, an attempt was made to stop me recommitting sections by people who just wanted to obliterate debate. I pay tribute to the Leader for bringing in the Members of his party to support me, although he probably did not agree with the points I was making on the sections. That is important for freedom of speech in this House.

Later today, our former colleague in this House, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, will answer questions on statements made by her. For professional reasons, I cannot get involved in that debate as many Members will appreciate. I know, however, she is a decent, honest and straightforward Minister who has acted honourably. I will not be present for the debate this evening but I hope her integrity and decency will not be impugned in this House. As many have commented, she seemed to have been the most straightforward participant in yesterday's debate in the other House.

There was some discussion in the Seanad yesterday on another issue, one on which two of my colleagues in the Independent group, Senators Boyhan and Craughwell, had slightly different takes. We are not the judges and the juries of the truthfulness of people, especially when we intend to establish a tribunal of inquiry to deal with them. Will the Leader convey to his colleagues in the Government that there is a gross inconsistency between establishing a public tribunal of inquiry at which senior members of An Garda Síochána will be asked to testify on the subject matter concerning the tribunal-----