asked the Minister for Social Welfare (i) whether Mr. Seán O'Driscoll, information officer in his Department, drafted a reply to the parliamentary question addressed to the Minister on the 7th June last concerning a lecture delivered by him in Longford and reported in the local weekly paper on May 25th, 1950; (ii) whether the first draft of the reply was misleading and inaccurate in so far as it suggested that the lecture in question was based on preceding lectures stated to have been officially approved by the secretary of the Department; (iii) whether the draft reply in question was accompanied by a draft note for the Minister's information in the course of which the Deputy responsible for the question was referred to in terms of opprobrium; (iv) what action (a) the Minister and (b) the secretary took to ensure that future replies drafted by this officer would be factual, true and objective, and that any references to members of the Oireachtas which they might contain would be such as would be in keeping with the officer's position as a public servant, responsible through the Minister and the Minister for Finance to the Oireachtas for his official conduct; (v) whether the first draft of the proposed reply to the parliamentary question and the first draft note for the Minister's information still form part of the departmental files.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Department of Social Welfare Officer.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state whether it is not a fact that on the 8th September, 1950, the then secretary of his Department issued a minute to the establishment officer stating that Mr. O'Driscoll, information officer, was not on duty in the Department when the secretary had inquired for him on each of the days in the week commencing September 4th, and accordingly instructing the establishment to look into the matter and to submit a report; furthermore, is it not a fact that, arising out of the report submitted subsequently by the establishment officer, the secretary of the Department interviewed Mr. O'Driscoll on 30th September, 1950, and that the officer in question then stated his absence from the offices of the Department was on special duties in accordance with an instruction given previously by the Minister; and, whether, in view of the statement thus made by the officer concerned, the Minister will now state the special duties on which this officer was engaged on the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th of September last.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in detail the duties of the acting higher executive officer in his Department, who holds the post of information officer in his Department, if he will say whether these duties were at any time outlined in a minute by the secretary of his Department and to give the date of the minute in question.
With your permission, a Chinn Chomhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 11 and 15 together. As the Deputy's questions relate to documents concerning the internal administration of my Department it would be contrary to the customary practice to give information concerning them.
Afraid.