Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The bottom line on it is we really have to think about what we are doing. The person who will take over intelligence in this country will have access to information on all of us, on past deeds in this country and on those who were involved in various different things down through the history of this country. Micheál Martin, in the Dáil the other day, said that the person appointed would be appointed under normal appointment conditions and would have to take an oath to the State, etc. For God's sake, I ask the Government Senators to talk to their parties. One cannot have a foreign national heading up the Irish intelligence service. Would the British take a Frenchman to head up MI5? Would the Americans take an Englishman to head up the CIA? It would not happen. I ask that the Leader organise a debate on security in this House in order that we can get to the core of it.