I do not know if the Tánaiste has had a chance to reread the letter he wrote to the grieving mother of Shane O'Farrell in December 2019. In it, the Tánaiste told her that she could be assured of his continued support for a public inquiry to be set up. Six months after that letter was sent to Lucia O'Farrell, the Tánaiste became Taoiseach. In his time as Taoiseach, he did nothing to advance that pledge. Last night, for a second time, the Dáil passed a resolution calling for a public inquiry into the death of Shane O'Farrell and the actions of State agencies. Bizarrely, the Tánaiste and his colleagues in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, including three Members from Shane's constituency, abstained in the vote on the motion. Members of the Tánaiste's party who sat in the O'Farrell's kitchen and promised them that they would do everything in their power to ensure that this inquiry was set up, abstained. My question is very simple. Will the Tánaiste now ensure that the public inquiry into the death of Shane O'Farrell will finally be established? If he does not, what does that say about his integrity and that of his party, that he would write such a letter to a grieving family and make such a commitment, when it seems clear that he had no intention of fulfilling it?

That is not the case. I will not take lectures from the Deputy in terms of how to communicate with grieving families. and how his party has communicated with grieving families down through the decades.

Is that the Tánaiste's answer?

No, it is not. I am just making the point. The scoping inquiry and the publication of Judge Haugton's report into-----

The scoping inquiry was established when the Tánaiste wrote that letter.

The Deputy made assertions. After the Dáil resolution of a number of years ago calling for a public inquiry, the scoping inquiry was established.

After that, the Tánaiste wrote that letter.

It took much longer than anyone anticipated - about three to four years - for the report to emerge. It was a comprehensive inquiry. The Government has now decided to refer it to the justice committee. Two weeks ago, other Deputies raised the matter during Questions on Policy or Legislation. I suggested that I would like to talk to members of other parties to see if there is a way through on this issue.

There is. Set up a public inquiry. Will the Government do that?

The Ceann Comhairle said he would be interested in convening meetings of party representatives to see if we can find a route through. I would now have ethical issues about another inquiry going on for four or five years or maybe longer. There have been lots of inquiries that did not give victims their-----

Seriously. The Tánaiste is saying he has ethical issues.

I am willing to work with the Ceann Comhairle and other parties to find a route through here and to facilitate the airing of some of the issues that people are perhaps not happy with in respect of the scoping inquiry.

People want a public inquiry.

The Deputy's motion came in between that process. That is his business; that is what he is entitled to do, but I think there is a better way of dealing with this.

It was done in conjunction with the O'Farrell family. The Tánaiste committed to a public inquiry.

I am asking him will he stand by his commitment. The answer is clearly "No". That is shameful, quite frankly.