asked the President if at any time prior to his publishing to the Dáil the story as to the alleged meeting between Deputy Mulcahy and the British War Minister he suggested to his informant that he should embody his information in an affidavit or in a statutory declaration, or if he even endeavoured to secure a promise from this person that he would stand openly over the allegations.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Statement Concerning a Deputy.
asked the President if he will state if at any time after receipt of the information alleging a meeting between Deputy Mulcahy and the British War Minister and prior to his publication of this falsehood to the Dáil on September 28th last, he endeavoured to secure confirmation or corroboration of the story by application to (a) the informant or (b) any other person; and, if so, with what result.
asked the President if the falsehood about Deputy Mulcahy published to the Dáil on the 28th September last was induced from the person alleged to have supplied it by (1) a pledge of secrecy and/or (2) a promise of any consideration of value, and whether or not any information on any other matter had been received from or through this person; and, if so, whether such other information had been secured by either of the two methods above.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 2 and 3 together. As I have already several times informed the Deputy, I do not intend to add anything to the statement which I made in the Dáil on the 4th October.
Is the President aware that he has given absolutely no information on what has been put down on the Order Paper, and that, therefore, we may take it for granted that the President took no steps whatsoever, before publishing this libel on Deputy Mulcahy, to make certain whether there was any truth in the statement?
I wish to ask a supplementary question. Considering that the President has expressed his regret, and offered his sympathy to Deputy Mulcahy, I think it serves no useful purpose to have a litany of these questions week after week. There is no man but has made a mistake during his lifetime.
The Chair is still waiting to hear the Deputy's supplementary question.
Has the President anything further to add?