When I turned on my radio this morning I heard that politics was being played with the Maurice McCabe issue, and I hope we will not have that in this House this evening. It is a very serious issue which has gone on for far too long. We have in front of us the terms of reference of the tribunal of inquiry, which I hope can be agreed in this House without politicising the issue.

The issue of the presumption of innocence has been brought forward as a reason that the Garda Commissioner should be left in her position. There is absolutely no question from anybody here about the presumption of innocence. Everybody is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty, but the Commissioner must take a neutral position as we enter into this tribunal and the only neutral position she can take its to step down and step aside while the tribunal takes place. One of her most senior officers will appear before the tribunal in uniform and will tell a story directly opposing the story she will tell. We cannot have two of the most senior officers in An Garda Síochána, and I have said this several times-----

We cannot foresee what evidence will be given. We should not be going into the detail the Senator-----

What I am talking about is in the public domain.

The Senator can foresee many things.

It is in the public domain.

Some Senators have macular edema but that is neither here nor there.

Superintendent Taylor was forced out of his job for 22 months.

The Senator will have the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the terms of reference this evening but we should not be going into this detail on the matter.

The Garda Commissioner must take a neutral position and in doing so that requires that she steps down and steps aside while the tribunal is going on. Whether she returns or not will be a matter for the outcome of the tribunal, but she must step down, and she must do that immediately.

Now the Senator is on safer ground.