Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

When Senator Byrne speaks on planning issues, he deserves to be listened to. Well over a decade ago, at a time when it was not popular to do so, he was one of the few lone voices in this country to speak out against the sporadic and haphazard rezoning which was the order of the day. I know he featured in an award-winning episode of "Prime Time Investigates" which looked into the issue.

On the evening of 2 August 2011, a young postgraduate university student from Carrickmacross lost his life in most horrific circumstances in a hit-and-run accident which occurred while he was cycling home outside Carrickmacross. The driver of the vehicle involved was a repeat offender who was on bail from several courts at the time. That family have just one question: how come someone like that was at liberty on that fateful night? They are calling for a public sworn inquiry. The scoping inquiry recommendations are due to be published on 29 January. Their publication has been delayed on several occasions. That would be cause for inquiry in itself if the learned judge did not receive prompt and full co-operation from the various authorities. The scoping inquiry has taken almost two years. The latest date it has been put out to is 29 January. The family cannot suffer the pain of a further extension. The scoping inquiry relating to Maurice McCabe took just six weeks. The comparison and contrast is galling. No family should ever have to go through that. We cannot turn back the clock. All Mrs. Lucia O'Farrell and her family want is the hope that no other family will have to endure the ongoing pain and suffering they have had to endure and that it can be avoided for others in the future.