Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to add my words of congratulations to Senator Ó Céidigh on taking the initiative to start the process which led to the Bill passing through the House. When he came to our Independent Group with this proposal, it seemed to me that he faced a number of insurmountable odds, but he has, by his industry and persistence, brought all the parties in the House with him. He brought the Government, the Minister, the Department of Justice and Equality and many bodies in civil society on board as well. It is a great tribute to him that he has had this success and I warmly congratulate him on his achievement.

As he and the Minister stated, there must be consequences for perjury. There has been a period during which, on the face of it, many offences of perjury have been committed without sanction. The great advantage of what the Senator has achieved is that he has extended the prosecutable category of perjury on a clear statutory basis to tribunals of inquiry, commissions of inquiry and other tribunals where, as we have seen shocking deception has previously taken place, apparently without consequence. That is a sad fact borne out by the Moriarty report, for example.

It is one thing to enact a law; it is another to prosecute for a breach of that law. I hope that the Department, which has an overarching role in this matter, will bring to the attention of An Garda Síochána in particular that this is a serious offence and that resources must be made available when instances become apparent for its proper investigation and prosecution. As Senator Ó Céidigh stated, some people who have small businesses and are not insured can be put out of business and made bankrupt by a lie, even if they have CCTV footage to back up their side of the story. Their businesses and livelihoods and their families' livelihoods are put in peril by such behaviour and mendacity.

I again warmly congratulate the Senator on his courage, initiative, persistence and success in bringing the Bill before the House. I thank the Minister, his departmental officials and all the other people who have been mentioned, including Councillor Geoghegan, for all of their influence, to use the Minister's phrase, as well as their co-operation and goodwill in getting the Bill passed.