Ruairí Quinn,"The Taoiseach does not want certain evidence to be heard before the election"
The Labour Party has tabled a notice of motion calling on the Government to take immediate steps to resume the Flood Tribunal's public hearings. The move follows criticism from Opposition parties over the delay in appointing two extra members to the Tribunal.
The Government has rejected claims that its failure to appoint the two new members has held up the Tribunal's work. Today it was accused of deliberately manipulating the timing of the work of the Flood Tribunal for political reasons.
Olivia Mitchell of Fine Gael said on RTÉ radio this morning that there were only two possible explanations for the Government's delay in appointing extra judges to the Tribunal.
She said that one explanation was that no one in the country could be found to fulfil the role, which, she said, defied all belief. She said that the other explanation was that there was "deliberate manipulation of the timing of the Tribunal's work to suit the political timetable".
Government Chief Whip Seamus Brennan dismissed the allegations. The Government said that, as yet, it had not been able to find any suitable and willing candidates.
Labour leader Ruairí Quinn said yesterday that there was something "very sinister" about the delay. Mr Quinn said that the only conclusion was that the Taoiseach and the Government did not want the Tribunal to hear certain evidence before the General Election.
Mr Brennan, however, accused Mr Quinn of electioneering this morning and insisted that there was nothing sinister in the failure to appoint extra judges.
Mr Brennan said that the judges would be "well in place" in time to start the next module of the Tribunal. He said that there was no way the Tribunal had been delayed.
