asked the Minister for Finance (i) whether he had noted that it had been stated in Dáil Éireann on Thursday, March 31st, that documents relating to the allegations made by the Minister for External Affairs in a speech at Enniscorthy, as reported in the Press of February 1st, 1948, had been abstracted from files in the Office of the Commissioners of Public Works; (ii) whether he was satisfied as a result of inquiries that in fact such abstraction of documents had taken place; (iii) whether investigations had been instituted in the Office of Public Works to ascertain who had taken the documents; (iv) if such investigation was carried out to state the nature of it and the officers by whom it was undertaken; (v) if such an investigation has not yet been made, whether he will now have one carried out either (a) by a committee of senior officers not below the rank of principal officer drawn from Departments other than the Departments of Defence, Industry and Commerce, and the Office of the Commissioners of Public Works, or (b) by the Detective Branch of the Garda Síochána, preferably the latter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Office of Public Works Documents.
I have noted that no statement was made in Dáil Éireann on Thursday, March 31st, that documents had been abstracted from files in the Office of the Commissioners of Public Works. The Minister for Justice did state on that occasion that documents were missing from the Office of Public Works.
In September, 1940, the Commissioners of Public Works made a contract with A.J. Fennessy, Limited, for the supply and delivery to Government establishments in Dublin City and district of 4,000 tons of machine-won turf. In September, 1941, the Commissioners of Public Works made a contract with A.J. Fennessy, Limited, for the haulage of 2,500 tons of turf from Clonsast bog to depôts in Dublin and the storage and ricking of the turf at these depôts. Delivery dockets in respect of the turf supplied and/or hauled under these contracts are missing, having been destroyed after a standard period had elapsed. Claim forms and the paid cheques referable thereto in respect of these contracts have not been segregated as between these contracts and others which the firm of A.J. Fennessy had with the commissioners at this time, so that it is not possible to state with certainty whether or not all the above claim forms and associated paid cheques are now available.
Police inquiries have revealed that while particulars of turf sold to A.J. Fennessy, Limited, by Bord na Móna are available for the periods 10/9/40 to 30/11/40 and 15/3/41 to 11/6/41, they are not available for the period 1/12/40 to 14/3/41.
The remaining parts of the question do not arise.
We know now that no documents have been abstracted.
The phrase was not used. One of the Deputy's interpositions put a new gloss on things. I caught him out on that yesterday.
That impression was conveyed, anyhow.
It was the impression that it was intended to give.
If the Deputies want to put that hat on their heads. even though a tight fit, they may do so.
Mr. Sweeetman rose.
Question No. 32.