Flood Tribunal
Mr. Gormley: On behalf of the Green Party, I wish Mr. Flood the best of luck in his retirement. He has served the country well and his interim report will be remembered as a model of clarity that sets the standard for future tribunal reports. We could speculate at length regarding the reasons he departed the scene and in all such cases conspiracy theories abound but human factors should never be discounted when such important decisions are made. At 75, he has reached an age when thoughts of one’s mortality become more frequent and, perhaps, he arrived at the conclusion that life is too short, even for tribunals.
That does not mean the Government attitude towards the tribunal can be excused. Its approach has been characterised by foot dragging, evasion and delusion. I recall vividly the wrangling over the terms of reference, the defence of Ray Burke by both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach’s memorable statement that we hounded an honourable man out of office. Mr. Burke is not an honourable man and he and others, who deliberately obstructed the work of the tribunal, should not have their costs paid. The introduction of legislation that would avoid such a scenario will have the full support of the Green Party.
The notion that Mr. Burke and his ilk could be supported to the tune of €10 million by the taxpayer would almost be enough to send the exasperated public into revolt. It would defeat almost entirely the purpose of the tribunal, which is not only to establish what wrongdoing took place but also to ensure wrongdoers are punished in some shape or form. The people demand no less. Public odium is not sufficient punishment for those thick skinned and greedy individuals. Their motivation in engaging in corrupt practices was money and it is through monetary penalties that they can adequately be brought to heel. I am glad the Minister will introduce legislation in this regard in the autumn. I look forward to that and it will have the support of my party.
The Government spin doctors are suggesting this is further evidence the tribunals are a waste of money and a number of irresponsible Ministers have added fuel to the fire by suggesting the tribunal could take up to 15 years to complete its work. If the work is organised properly, it could be completed in a much shorter time. The work of the Committee of Public Accounts, under the late Jim Mitchell, stands as a shining example in this regard. It is possible to carry out a thorough investigation at a fraction of the cost if the political will is there.
The difference between the PAC and the main representatives at the tribunal is the latter belong to the legal profession, which believes its extraordinary gifts require extraordinary remuneration. It was once said, jokingly, the primary talent required of a barrister is the ability to keep a straight face when he is handing the bill to a client. While the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, may not agree, stories are emerging of junior counsel paying off their mortgages on the strength of their work at the tribunal. While these stories may be apocryphal, the legal fees charged at the tribunal are scandalous and in general the legal profession needs to be sorted out. The late Noel Browne said when he entered the House he was told “you should leave the law alone”. Given the background of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the law is in safe hands.
The Government has not learned much from the tribunal. Last week we introduced a Private Member’s Bill relating to the implementation of the Kenny report, which would have ensured the corrupt practices that were witnessed would no longer take place. Our Bill was taken in the House and the Minister for the Environment and Local Government did not even have the courtesy to turn up.
Mr. Cullen: I was attending another forum. I cannot be in two places at once.
Mr. Gormley: The Minister was in the Oireachtas. It has been reported he has given permission for a road to be built through Carrickmines Castle. Will he confirm whether this is true? If so, when will he make an announcement in the House? The link between Fianna Fáil, the Progressive Democrats and property speculators has been maintained to this day. That is why there is continued corruption and that is why we continue to have tribunals.