On Thursday of last week, Deputy Giles made a statement that I consider to be gravely injurious to my personal character and reputation. He said, as reported in column 2256:—
"I should like Deputy Cogan to give up his narrow-minded way of looking at things. He talks as if he and he alone had saved the rate-payers. He brought down the rates and he is a national saviour, when everybody knows that it is all a matter of spite and jealousy because Deputy Dillon is Minister for Agriculture and because Deputy Donnellan is in the position which he thought he would get himself."
I want to say that that statement is a grotesque falsehood. Since I came into this House I have disagreed profoundly on a number of occasions with the Minister for Agriculture but have never borne him the slightest ill-will and never have allowed my personal feelings to influence me in regard to public policy. Regarding the suggestion that I sought a Parliamentary Secretaryship, I think every member of the Government can bear witness that I never at any time sought any position of any kind under the present Government. Both these accusations are contemptible and if allowed to pass unchallenged are calculated to lower the dignity of debate in this House. I want to emphasise that I do not bear the slightest ill-will towards the present Minister for Agriculture here, or towards any member of the Government or, for that matter, towards any member of the House, and I ask the Deputy to withdraw his statement.
