Public accountability
Gerry Adams argued that powerful figures are rarely held to account and linked that to failures across child protection, homelessness, health, and policing. The Taoiseach answered simply, “No”.
The big problem for many people is that no one in the upper echelons of this State is ever held to account. I know that politicians might get their comeuppance at an election if that is the will of the electorate. However, the big issue is the lack of accountability on the part of bankers, financiers, developers, senior public officials and policymakers. People are asking who is held to account in the context of the mistreatment of children, women and people with disabilities, the homelessness crisis, the health service and the administration of policing and justice. The Taoiseach's Government retained the right to appoint the Garda Commissioner. It did not have to do so. It could have accepted the motion Sinn Féin tabled. That is why I ask the Taoiseach to remove the Garda Commissioner. We have a situation where Fianna Fáil says it has no confidence in the Commissioner but that it supports the Government, which continues to express confidence in her. This is not new politics. This is more of the same old story. The Taoiseach has set his face against removing the Commissioner. He has just said he has confidence in her. Have he and the Fianna Fáil leader discussed this issue?
