On behalf of the Fine Gael group, I welcome the ambassador to the Chamber. I wish the Finnish people a happy national day as well. I had the pleasure of visiting Helsinki back in 2004 and it is a beautiful city.

First, I recognise the establishment 100 years ago of the Irish Free State. It was a turbulent part of our history. We know the divisions that ensued are still with us. It is important, at the same time, that we recognise the establishment of the Parliament here and all that we have achieved since then – the continuous democracy in this country uninterrupted since then, the peaceful transfer of power in 1932 and, subsequently, that historic coalition that was reached at the last Government formation as well between the two civil war parties. I am sure there will be other occasions to remember some of the happenings over the past 100 years as well during the course of the next number of months.

I have raised on numerous occasions the issues surrounding Inland Fisheries Ireland. Since the last time I raised it and commented that I wished to put matters on the record, my mother got a phone call. It was nothing sinister because we know the individual; it was just advising that perhaps I should be careful. I got another anonymous letter from somebody who told me they are an employee. I would rather they had come forward rather than writing me anonymous letters and if they have any issues they might go to the Garda rather than putting it to me. They did not sign the letter, but that is okay. I also had an ex-employee contact me, a good supporter of mine, again giving both barrels because they feel that I will say something. To cap it off this week, I notice from the correspondence on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges that the chief executive officer of Inland Fisheries Ireland has written to the Cathaoirleach.

Anything that comes before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges is confidential. Please just be mindful of that.

Yes, but the letter has been written by the CEO. It will be dealt with at the meeting subsequently. Again, it was urging caution, which I find strange.

There are a number of issues here and there is talk of Garda investigations. I have no idea who has been investigated by the Garda in relation to Inland Fisheries Ireland, but I am of the view there should be an investigation by the Minister. The Minister needs to investigate issues that have come to pass surrounding Inland Fisheries Ireland. They have hounded one family. I could not go into the issues that the family is facing, but we all know the story of Maurice McCabe and I believe this is something similar at this stage. Any existing IFI employee who would be seen talking to or calling this former employee is being taken aside. Even former employees are being blacklisted in relation to contacts with this individual within Inland Fisheries Ireland. Yet, we have the CEO contacting the Cathaoirleach, effectively threatening how he does his business in and how he organises the Seanad.

The Minister investigated the board. Why did he investigate the board? He did so because his advisers told him it was the right thing to do. Why did they tell him that? They wanted the Minister to dismiss the board because the board was not complying with the CEO’s wishes. There was a 7:3 split. He wanted the board gone; not the Minister, but the advisers and the CEO wanted the board gone to put in people who were more manageable. That was what was going on in relation to Inland Fisheries Ireland.

I spoke with senior people in this Government on carrying out investigations. They carried out the investigation in relation to the board. Now it is time for them to carry out investigations into matters within Inland Fisheries Ireland at its more senior level over the past number of years. If that happens, there is then no need for me to put things onto the record. However, if they do not, I am then obliged to. The Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has the information. Other senior politicians have the information. Politicians and colleagues of mine within Galway West, Galway East and Mayo have the information and they are all of the view that there are issues here and questions to be answered within Inland Fisheries Ireland.