Vol. 122 No. 9
I would be grateful if I might be permitted to make a personal explanation to the House. It arises out of a statement made by Deputy MacEntee during the discussion on the Estimate for the Department of Justice, as given in column 1330 for the 11th July, as follows:—
"Another individual in this same city drives when drunk and it is stated that he has lost his driving licence in Glasgow for that offence, but again nothing is done about it, and again one may begin to ask oneself why?"
This is the second time this has been raised to-day. I object. I do not think it is in order at all.
There is a second Minister concerned.
He went on:—
"It is because there seems to be some connection between these gentlemen and the Minister who placed a contract with them."
That, I think the House will agree, implies that I in some way or other attempted to use my position to impede the course of justice and to protect some drunken car driver from his just deserts. I would like to say that I am not aware that I even know the man to whom the Deputy refers, but I am quite certain that I have received no representations of the kind to which the Deputy referred and that, if I had received those representations, they would have received very scant consideration from me.
I think the Minister should be satisfied with that.
Thank you, A Chinn Comhairle.
Statements to which objection is taken should be raised as soon as they are made, but I am aware of the fact that the Minister was not here when that statement was made.
The Minister for Justice was, and he did not raise it. He took advantage to do it this morning. There is a certain practice which the Ceann Comhairle has pointed out. The Minister for Justice was present when the statement was made but he waited until this morning to raise it.
The Minister for Justice explained to the Ceann Comhairle this morning that he did not hear it.
It was loud enough.
If there were less noise, I would have heard it.
