Concerns over tribunal criticisms

SEANAD REPORT:CONCERN WAS voiced by members on both sides of the House about the criticism of two parliamentarians in the Morris tribunal report into the activities of a number of gardaí in Donegal.

Observing that the intervention of Jim Higgins and Brendan Howlin had unearthed the enormous injustice to the McBreartys, Fine Gael spokesman on justice Eugene Regan said it was beyond him how the tribunal chairman could "work into the script such negative statements about these two Opposition politicians. I think it's unfair, I think it's unreasonable and I think it's perverse".

Fiona O'Malley (PD) said she believed that most members of both Houses would agree that Mr Higgins and Mr Howlin had done the honourable thing in speaking quietly to the minister for justice.

"Time and again, the position and the level of inquiry that is afforded to these Houses and their committees is being eroded, and I think we need to establish, once and for all, what can be expected of us," she said.

Labhrás Ó Murchu (FF) said he had been surprised at the report's negative comments regarding the politicians, which, in some ways, had overshadowed the pivotal role they had played in the establishment of the tribunal."

*****

Too much ministerial power had been given over to quangos, John Ellis (FF) said. The best people to take decisions were Ministers because they had to face the electorate. Speaking during the second stage debate on the Harbours (Amendment) Bill, Mr Ellis said he had fears over the proposal that An Bord Pleanála should be the deciding body with regard to the acquisition of land for port developments. "Because, if it takes them as long to carry out the acquisition for a port as it takes them to give decisions in any sort of complicated or semi-complicated planning case, the need for the port would be long past."