asked the Minister for Justice if any progress has been made in regard to the apprehension of those who defaced the Michael Collins memorial during the Presidential election.
32.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Investigation of Crimes.
31.
asked the Minister for Justice if any progress has been made in regard to the apprehension of those guilty of blowing up Nelson Pillar.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions 31 and 32 together.
No statement can usefully be made about progress in the investigation of a particular crime until the Garda Síochána have enough evidence to enable them to bring criminal charges. Until that stage is reached, the Garda Síochána are dealing with clues, "leads" and information which may or may not turn out to be significant and, even if this material were not confidential, which of course it is, any attempt to assess its value would be mere speculation.
Are the matters being actively pursued and continued to be so?
Yes.
Whoever did this job should be brought to justice. Deputy Donegan would be better served by putting down a motion on this matter. Will the Minister guarantee that the Garda authorities will follow this up until whoever did this job is brought to justice for the defacing of the Collins memorial? It is surprising to note how mute the public representatives on the Opposition benches are now on this subject. Maybe it would be better if Deputy Donegan asked the Minister to ask the Garda to mind this monument lest the Fine Gael Party should blow it up in their endeavour to seek sympathy for a lost cause.
That is not a question: it is a statement.
It is a political statement.
Deputy Meaney is very annoyed about it. I am not one bit annoyed about it. I am quite happy. Deputy Meaney is annoyed.