Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the new protocols discussed by Cabinet yesterday for children in care and access by them to HSE disability services once they reach the age of 18. The Cabinet discussed the Mary case yesterday and the horrific abuses wrought on young women.

The latest revelations regarding Garda misuse of funds and tax avoidance seem like they are part of tsunami of allegations, abuses and criminal activity all rolled into one and it has been going for a long time. When Martin Callinan was dismissed a number of years ago, we all thought an external appointment was needed in order that there would be someone with a new broom and an independent eye to oversee the running of the keepers of the peace in our society. That did not happen but there have been more revelations about phantom breath tests, phantom checkpoints and tax avoidance. Nóirín O'Sullivan needs to step down and Sinn Féin has asked for that. She needs to take responsibility for the good of An Garda Síochána and allow an external investigation and an external appointment to the Commissioner position. The force is in need of a root and branch overhaul and cultural reform. These scandals are bigger than individuals and the reform must happen now. I have spoken to gardaí on the beat in my locality of Rialto and Kilmainham and they are absolutely despondent. They are embarrassed and the embarrassments are piling up. They are more disrespected and more prone to ridicule and many of them do not want to turn up for work. We have always prided ourselves in this country on our honest and integrity but we are no longer the island of saints and scholars. There are far too many somethings rotten in this State and we need a clean sweep with integrity at the heart of what we do.