Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too wish to pay my condolences to the families who lost loved ones yesterday's storm.

I wish to express shock and outrage that the brave journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who led the Panama papers investigation into corruption in Malta, was tragically killed by a car bomb near her home on Monday. I extend my deepest sympathy to her family and friends. This is not just a tragic loss of life, it is a clear attack on democracy that was carried out in broad daylight in an EU member state. Ms Galizia did what investigative journalists are supposed to do. She showed bravery in asking difficult questions of those in power. She never relented in pointing the finger at corruption at the highest political levels, such as activities involving offshore accounts and money laundering. She was murdered for asking these questions. In her final blog post less than one hour before she was killed she warned, "There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate." This morning, her son Matthew stated, "My mother was assassinated because she stood between the rule of law and those who sought to violate it." This is an absolute disgrace and should resonate with everyone in Ireland and in this House. I cannot help but think of Veronica Guerin, another brave woman journalist, who was murdered for speaking truth to power and for standing up to corruption and criminality. Has the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade formally expressed his outrage and offered Ireland's assistance wherever it may be needed?