asked the Minister for Justice if in taking any further action in relation to demonstrations in the vicinity of Leinster House he will ensure that the Gardaí will make special arrangements to facilitate Members attending the Dáil.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Access to Leinster House.
31.
The Garda have always regarded it as their duty to facilitate members of both Houses of the Oireachtas on their way to and from Leinster House and I do not think that any instructions are called for. It would, of course, be helpful if on occasions of the kind referred to Deputies and Senators were to carry some document that would identify them to gardaí on duty.
Has the Minister now withdrawn the instruction he gave last week that members of the Opposition were to be obstructed in reaching Leinster House? Is he aware that several members of this House were obstructed and interrogated by members of the Garda Síochána last week in their endeavours to get to this House and that even Members who made efforts to disclose their identity were brusquely told they could not approach this House by the route on which they were entitled to come?
I am satisfied that members of the Garda Síochána behaved with admirable restraint and courtesy last week.
Is the Minister aware that many Members of this House seriously object to having to approach this House through cordons of gardaí as if this were a police State, and also object to being interrogated and bullied on their approach to this House? Knowing well that the ordinary members of the Garda Síochána have no wish to act in this way, one can only assume that the Minister gave specific instructions.
I am satisfied, as are most reasonable people, that everything went very sensibly last week.
Thanks to the farmers and no thanks to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.