Molloy to make personal Dail statement

The former minister of State, Mr Robert Molloy, will make a personal statement to the Dáil today, following his resignation last…

The former minister of State, Mr Robert Molloy, will make a personal statement to the Dáil today, following his resignation last week over the Naughton case.

His speech will come during a special 60-minute debate on the crisis provoked by his representations on behalf of the sister of a convicted rapist, Patrick Naughton.

The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, is expected to come under strong attack from the Opposition about his role in the affair during 30 minutes of questions.

Under Dáil rules, TDs can make personal statements for up to 20 minutes without interruption, as long as the speech is submitted to the Ceann Comhairle.

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However, the Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, pointed out that there was no mechanism which would allow Mr Molloy to be questioned by deputies, since he is longer a minister.

The controversy is understood to have led the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to postpone until next week his plans to dissolve the Dáil and call the general election campaign.

If the Dáil is dissolved in the middle of next week, Mr Ahern could call a three-week campaign and hold polling day on Friday, May 17th, though last-minute surprises cannot be ruled out.

"The Dáil will be sitting next week. We are heading for a May election," the Taoiseach told journalists during a visit to Co Kerry yesterday.

The leader of the Labour Party, Mr Quinn, called on the Minister for Justice to release all remaining unpublished letters from Mr Molloy. "So far, the Taoiseach has shown little sign of realising the seriousness of the need for an adequate response and full disclosure," he said..

The Government could publish his representations to Justice as long as Mr Ahern revealed the extent of his own representations, "which we know from the Sheedy case are probably considerable".

This week TDs are expected to put through a motion renewing the special powers introduced after the Omagh bombing, and agree a tribunal of inquiry into allegations of Garda misconduct in Donegal.

TDs are also expected to pass all stages of legislation allowing for greater compensation for haemophiliacs given infected blood by the Blood Transfusion Service Board.

The Irish Haemophilia Society will this morning meet the Minister for Health to discuss its "serious reservations" about a section in the new blood Bill which, it warns, will limit the amount of compensation victims could receive if they have contracted both HIV and Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products.

Mark Hennessy

Mark Hennessy

Mark Hennessy is Ireland and Britain Editor with The Irish Times