I second Senator Darragh O'Brien's amendment calling for the Minister for Justice and Equality to attend the House, given the pantomime of recent days since last week's "Prime Time" programme when the Minister regrettably used information that ordinarily should not have been brought into the public domain and does not form part of the normal day-to-day work of a Minister. This is not to defend the Deputy or to take the side of those promoting issues in the Lower House. However, receiving a briefing of this nature from the Garda is reminiscent of a regrettable era that is gone and that we do not want to see in this nation again. It is a concern that gardaí or the Garda Commissioner are holding files or sharing information of this nature about any Member of the Oireachtas, a celebrity, a television personality or anyone else. It is reminiscent of what we heard about J. Edgar Hoover in the US and the files that he kept on everyone whom he deemed a political adversary or potential danger.

What about Michael McDowell and-----

What about telephone tapping?

Senator MacSharry is quiet about him.

Has Senator MacSharry a question for the Leader?

He is quiet about Deputy O'Dea.

Senator MacSharry, without interruption.

Of all the matters that I expected to be heckled on, I did not believe this would be one of them.

Hypocrisy is always heckled.

I felt that the silence we were hearing from the Minister and most of his Cabinet colleagues on the issue would be continued in this House.

Has the Senator a question for the Leader?

The Minister needs to discuss this issue in the House because people are entitled to know why such information is being passed around by the Garda, regardless of whether it was a throw-away remark during a briefing. I am concerned about it.

The Senator can make those points during the debate.

It has echoes of a police state. In the same diary, which the Leader of the Opposition solicited under the Freedom of Information Act, I noticed a meeting with the director of intelligence. One wonders who this individual is and whether it is he or she who shares information-----

The Senator has gone over time.

-----on Deputies and others who might be of political interest to the Minister.

Senator MacSharry, without interruption.

Perhaps he is just looking for easy copy for his books.

At my third attempt to pass a Private Member's Bill, I hope that the Government will be in a position to support the Criminal Justice (Unlicensed Money-Lending) Bill. Notwithstanding our need to question the Minister on other issues, I hope he will take the Bill.