The nomination by the Taoiseach of Deputy James McDaid as Minister for Defence poses for this House and indeed for the country some very serious questions for the future security of the State. The Minister of Defence is a key Ministry in security matters, particularly in relation to Border security. Deputy McDaid, the proposed incumbent is a man who is alleged to associate with, and to fraternise with people who have engaged in subversive activities. Deputy McDaid who has been nominated to government by the Taoiseach has made public declarations against extradition and has been seen to actively support the anti-extradition lobby. A report in The Irish Times of 4 November 1989 covering James Pius Clarke's application to the High Court for bail, stated that Mr. Clarke the witness, said: “that a local TD had said he was with him in County Donegal when it was alleged that he (witness), had been involved in the attempted murder of the UDR man”.
This was the case referred to in this House this morning by my colleague, Deputy Jim O'Keeffe. Deputy O'Keeffe said: "If I remember correctly, that case was the MacIntyre case." Deputy Proinsias De Rossa immediately corrected him and said: "No, Clarke, he was convicted, a convicted Provo". Deputy O'Keeffe thanked Deputy De Rossa for the correction. Deputy McDaid was asked about this today on the radio programme "News at One". In the RTE interview he was asked: "Do you want to deal with the specific charge?" He [that is Deputy Jim O'Keeffe] was saying that you gave evidence for a convicted Provisional IRA man". In reply Deputy McDaid said: "This is totally untrue. If he would research his speech properly he would understand that I was interviewed on a "Today Tonight" programme in which I said that I happened to be at a stag party a long time ago of a friend of mine and that particular person happened to be there. That is the only time that he could accuse me of anything like that but, naturally enough he would exaggerate it."
This is an entirely inadequate account of Deputy McDaid's knowledge of James Pius Clarke. Deputy McDaid was, in fact, on an anti-extradition protest outside the Four Courts and was standing beside James Pius Clarke as he was released. Footage of this was shown on television on the "Six-One News" before the interview with Deputy McDaid. When pushed by Mr. Seán Duignan about his acquaintance with Clarke, Deputy McDaid said "he was merely a spectator outside the court". Let me ask the House, does a spectator outside the court usually associate so closely with the appellant, as this picture very clearly shows. This is a picture, which the Taoiseach may be interested in, that shows Deputy McDaid shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Clarke on that occasion.