Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality (Private Members)

It is almost impossible for us in this Chamber to be objective in our judgment of each other. We are too close to one another, too political, competitive and ideologically polarised. Nobody in this room has not already formed a view and an opinion about everybody else. We all have our preconceived prejudices, political, personal and ideological and I am afraid it may have been these prejudices that drove this motion rather than any real conviction of wrong doing. A motion of no confidence must be used judiciously and on matters of real import. That is not what is happening here. I accept that the Minister, Deputy Shatter, would have been wiser not to have shared the information about Deputy Wallace and I understand Deputy Wallace’s annoyance and hurt but that slip was in no way reflective of some sinister, Big Brother plan, as has been suggested.

The other issue is merely a puff of smoke. To be stopped by a garda at a mandatory checkpoint is certainly not a crime. It happens to hundreds every year. It is neither remarkable nor relevant. What is relevant is the Minister, Deputy Shatter’s performance and record as a Minister and that is beyond question. Nobody can question his competence, work record, reforming zeal and ability to put national interest before local and sectoral interest. That is what the public wants and demands of us. That is the standard by which they will judge us all. Those, above all, are the qualities which inspire confidence. It would be a tragedy and a travesty if, on the very rare occasion that those qualities come together in one politician, there should be any expression of lack of confidence by his peers.
I share a constituency with the Minister and every time I read about Dublin South in the media they talk about the competition between us, and they are not wrong. There is competition between us. We tread carefully around one another. We both sup with a long spoon. However none of that blinds me to the inescapable fact of his abilities and that what drives the Minister is solely his determination to serve the public interest and I have absolute confidence in that. I accept that the remarks about Deputy Wallace were indiscreet and hurtful; the Minister genuinely regrets them and he has apologised. Who among us has not been indiscreet and regretted something we said or did? One indiscretion does not define this Minister. He is defined by his record and his promise, and this country is extremely fortunate to have a Minister of his calibre at this difficult juncture in our country’s fortunes.

I ask the Opposition to accept it would be a gross injustice to give greater weight to a single indiscretion made in the heat of a television programme than to the Minister’s undisputed record of excellence and achievement.