Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome back all my colleagues and staff as well.

I had not planned to speak on the policing issue. I look forward to studying the report, which has been welcomed in principle by my party's justice spokesman, Deputy O'Callaghan.

I echo what Senator Feighan stated in respect of supporting the Garda. It is incumbent on us as elected representatives, especially in the Oireachtas, to stand by and support the Garda. It is easy for groups out there to attack the force. No organisation is perfect. There is not a police force in the world, not even in heaven above, without its flaws. We are proud of the Garda. It is incumbent on us to support gardaí when they become the subject of unacceptable criticism. A few weeks ago in Dublin, I was walking along the street when an altercation took place. Two young gardaí were attempting to arrest a group of people who had clearly been in breach of the peace and a group of people gathered around them with mobile phones, sticking the phones literally into their faces and asking "What's your number? What's your number?" and all that type of thing. There is a fine line between civil liberty and harassment of the Garda and I, for one, would come down on the side of the latter.

Members have heard me speak ad nauseamhere about our gas security. I ask the Leader to try to get the Minister for Communications, Climate Act and Environment, Deputy Naughten, into the House to give us an update on our energy security into the future, particularly in relation to gas. I am delighted to tell the House that the Shannon LNG project, which I have been very involved in and supported for almost 12 years, is about to come to fruition with new investors. It is facing one final hurdle, which is an attempted injunction next month. We will let that case take its course. Work should hopefully begin in January, with 500 valuable jobs for us in the mid-west region. I seek that debate.

In congratulating Senator Freeman on being nominated to run for the presidency, and all the other successful candidates who have come through the nomination process, let me compliment the local authorities. The local authorities did their own thing. The Constitution allows for local authorities to nominate. It was not the practice in the past. It is very much the practice of the present and into the future and I like that. The more candidates who are nominated the better. I hope we will have a good, straight, honest debate. I will keep a close eye on how these debates are handled by the media, in particular, by RTÉ.

Finally, I congratulate our colleague, Senator Lynn Ruane, on the publication of our autobiography, People Like Me. I was glad to be in Trinity College last night for the launch. The Senator gave a wonderful interview to Mr. Vincent Browne. Senator Ruane would make one proud to be a colleague of hers in the Seanad. All the Civil Engagement Members deserve to be congratulated. They are a wonder ginger group here and they certainly have made their presence felt.