Catherine Murphy asks Tánaiste to correct Dáil record

Social Democrats TD says Fitzgerald ‘misspoke’ about Garda financial irregularities

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy wants the Minister for Justice to correct the Dáil record. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times
Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy wants the Minister for Justice to correct the Dáil record. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy wants the Minister for Justice to correct the Dáil record after Frances Fitzgerald "mis spoke" about the financial irregularities at the Garda training college in Templemore.

The Minister told the Dáil on February 9th, during Leader's Questions, that the report was already in the public sphere and had been discussed at the Oireachtas Justice Committee.

When Ms Murphy pursued the matter with the Justice Committee she was told that it had not received the report, the Tánaiste then said it had been the Public Accounts Committee.

But Ms Murphy is a member of the Public Accounts Committee and “knew full well it had not been discussed.

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“I was given very misleading information by the Minister.

“She should correct the record. It wasn’t discussed by any committee.”

On the same programme, the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee Fianna Fáil's Sean Fleming said they had received the report on Monday.

“The key question is was there a loss to the Irish taxpayer? We can’t say at this stage.”

He said no one can “stand over” the activities in Templemore.

“It is a very serious issue breaking the ethics in public office legislation.”

He refused to say if Fianna Fáil would now support a vote of no confidence in the Garda Commissioner.

“When we hear the evidence we will make a decision then.”

However, he did admit that the party could not express confidence in the Garda Commissioner.