asked the Taoiseach if he will state if any member of the Government is the holder of any other position, or in receipt of any income or salary from holding such position and, if since their appointment as Ministers, members of the Government have resigned from positions; and, if so, the nature of each such position, the date of resignation, and if any member of the Government is still the holder of any other position outside this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ministers' Positions.
The particular positions occupied by members of the Government prior to their appointment are purely private matters.
What concerns the Dáil and the public is that no member of the Government should engage in any activities whatsoever that could reasonably be regarded as interfering, or being incompatible, with the full and proper discharge by him of the duties of his office—for example, acting in a position such as a company directorship carrying remuneration.
Most of the members of the Government who, immediately before their recent entry upon office, held positions that would conflict with this principle have already complied with it, by resignation or by being given leave of absence without remuneration. In the remaining few cases in which full compliance was not immediately practicable, steps are being taken to comply with the principle with all possible speed.
Could the Taoiseach say in connection with the report which appears in the morning papers that the Minister for Social Welfare is director of a firm known as Burnhouse (Ireland) Limited, whether it is the intention of the Minister for Social Welfare to hold this directorship? Could the Taoiseach further say whether it is a fact that within the past ten days a company of which the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs is a director has sold machinery to the Office of Public Works? Is that a fact?
With regard to the first question, I know that what happened was that the company was being in process of registration before the Minister was appointed and, naturally, he is not going to take up office. With regard to the second question, I have no information that would enable me to answer the question.
I will send the Taoiseach information.
I will be glad to get any information.
I think the Taoiseach will appreciate that the maximum which applies in legal matters, namely, that justice must not only be fair but must appear to be fair, would apply also in political matters of this kind.
That is right.
Does the Taoiseach consider it advisable for the Minister for Social Welfare to be a director of an insurance company inasmuch as social insurance is one of the matters actively under consideration at the moment? I am not inferring that there is anything wrong but I think it is open to question.
My reply, I think, has covered that as well as other cases where it was possible to resign immediately. There are certain cases, as anybody would know, where a certain amount of notice would be required and where there are complications, in which that cannot be done overnight, but steps are being taken to see that the principle I have enunciated, which I think is a fair principle, will be complied with.