asked the Taoiseach if he is aware of the practice followed by some of his Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries under which they utilise their ministerial offices and free postal facilities to call reorganisation meetings of the Fianna Fáil cumann in their constituencies and whether this is not considered an abuse of these privileges.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Free Postal Facilities.
I am not aware of such a practice.
I have made inquiries and find that, in one case, on a few occasions, through inadvertence, the facilities referred to by the Deputy were, in fact, used to call reorganisation meetings of a political Party. I am informed that the moment the impropriety of this was adverted to, it was discontinued.
Is the Taoiseach aware that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of Social Welfare, as late as October this year, forwarded a stencilled circular and a ticket for a sweep on a race to be run in January; that the ticket is headed "Westmeath Comhairle Dáil Ceanntair Fianna Fáil"; that this circular was sent to a person who at the time was dead, but who, prior to his demise, was never a supporter of the Fianna Fáil Party, and stated: "I am sending you a sweep card for our annual sweep, and I shall be very grateful if you will take same and dispose of it. As you know we have fought two elections, a local in September and a general in May, and we are very depleted in funds. Thanking you for your past support"; that the postmark on the outside of the envelope is the official Government postmark under the Department of Social Welfare?
May I inquire whether the Taoiseach is aware that Department of Social Welfare envelopes and stamps have been used on a document signed by a Deputy of the Fianna Fáil Party who is neither a Minister nor a Parliamentary Secretary, and have been issued; is he further aware that Department of Social Welfare stationery is going around more constituencies than one in an attempt to organise Fianna Fáil cumann? I can give the Taoiseach the information. It is a disgraceful thing.
I am aware of one instance as a result of inquiries. As indicated, it is not a practice, but the doing of it on any occasion is an impropriety and it is quite wrong.
It will not occur again?
Was it done by a former group as well?
It does not matter to what group it applies. The fact remains that it is not proper.
Will the Taoiseach take steps to ensure that it does not occur again?
I shall do everything in my power to see that the established practice is adhered to. It was done through inadvertence.
How could it have been done through inadvertence?
It was done through inadvertence by a person who was new to the post.
The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs is not new. He was a Parliamentary Secretary in the last Fianna Fáil Government.