I have also received a request from Deputy Brady for permission to make a personal statement in respect of something he is alleged to have said in this House on Thursday last.
Personal Explanation by Deputy.
Mr. Brady
I thank you, Sir, for giving me permission to make this personal explanation. Following a question of mine on Thursday last, Deputy Mulcahy and others voiced a strong protest. I wish to inform the House, and to have it recorded, that, in asking this question, I did not intend to suggest, nor did I at any time think, that, in accepting this allowance, Deputy Norton acted in any way improperly, or used the money for any purpose other than that intended by the Act. Had I tried to create any such false impression, I consider that it would have been my duty to avail of the first possible opportunity to withdraw the statement and to apologise to the Deputy and to the House. I state without reserve that I never intended making any such suggestion, nor did I think my words capable of any such interpretation until I read in the Official Report the statement made by Deputy Oliver Flanagan at column 514. In asking, at column 450, the question:—
"Is the Minister aware that when this Bill was under discussion, Deputy Norton said that under no consideration would he ever touch a penny of this money."
I was simply referring to the following statement by Deputy Norton (Volume 73, column 938):—
"There is a provision in this Bill to which I would like to make a personal reference. It is the one which provides for an allowance of £800 per annum to the Leader of the second Party and £500 per annum to the Leader of the third Party in the Dáil. So far as I am concerned, as one who would be entitled to benefit under that section, I do not want to handle one farthing of that sum of money and I do not propose to handle one farthing of it."
My name has been mentioned and perhaps you, Sir, will permit me to make a brief statement. I am obliged to the Deputy for having corrected the misrepresentations of which his remark was capable on the last occasion and I want to say now that never since the allowance was paid did I handle it, did I administer it or profit by it by as much as one penny and that fulfils the declaration I made when I made the speech on the Bill to which the Deputy has just referred.