asked the Minister for Local Government the cost of the recent inspection of system building in Paris, Stockholm and Copenhagen carried out by ten members of the Dublin City Council, seven officials of the Dublin Corporation and four officials of his Department.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Inspection of Continental System Building.
36.
Mr. Ryan
Accounts for the expenditure incurred on the visit by officials of the Department have not yet been furnished, and I am not therefore in a position to state the precise cost. It will, I believe, be about £500.
I have no information as to cost in respect of members and officials of the Corporation.
Mr. Ryan
It is a shocking waste of public money anyway.
Is the Minister aware that whatever it cost, it will have been the most fruitful investment ever made by the Department and the Corporation, that we sanctioned the go-ahead to build 3,000 extra dwellings? I would say the Minister should be a little more generous—
The Deputy is making a speech.
Is the Minister aware that he should be a little more generous with the members of the deputation who worked from eight in the morning until seven in the evening, that they had only a few pounds to put them over, that it cost 6/- for a bottle of ale——
The Deputy is not asking a question; he is making a speech.
I want the Minister to be aware—
"Is the Minister aware" does not make a question of it.
I have made him aware that he should be more generous.
Mr. Ryan
Is the Minister aware that having wasted public time and money, this group reported nothing they could not have known before they went; and further, that it will be two years before even one room is built, after wasting a whole lot of public money and time on a disgraceful advertising gimmick?
Is the Minister aware that half the members of the deputation were anti-Government?
Mr. Ryan
Half of them are so-called Independents who will always take a ride anywhere out of public funds.
Half of them were anti-Government.
Order. The Deputies must use some other forum for discussing this matter.
Mr. Ryan
The money was spent out of moneys voted by this House.
Some Fine Gael members were on it.
Mr. Ryan
They told me all that went on. That is how I know so much.
Deputy Ryan must conduct himself or leave the House.
Mr. Ryan
I agree.
A number of things have been said by way of supplementary statements which I cannot allow to go unanswered.
They were entirely disorderly.
I just want to say I am fully aware of what Deputy Sherwin has stated in regard to the the usefulness and the value of this trip abroad. I am also aware that these members of the Housing Committee went with the full knowledge and consent of their entire Corporation of which Deputy Ryan is supposed to be a member. Maybe he was not a member on that night. I do not know.
Mr. Ryan
There was not full consent for 21 people to go across Europe to find out what was available in booklet form before they went.
If Deputy Ryan persists in interrupting, I shall have to ask him to leave the House.
Mr. Ryan
If the Minister persists in uttering falsehoods——
The Deputy had better leave the House or conduct himself. He has his choice now. He should either leave the House or conduct himself.
Mr. Ryan
There cannot be a one-way barrage.
The Deputy is still misconducting himself; he is being grossly disorderly.
Furthermore, I should like to say that all the assertions and allegations made by Deputy Ryan are entirely unfounded. I do know that the people who went on this trip found that it was really a worthwhile visit on their part, that it was one in which they had to put in very long hours to cover the itinerary laid out for them and the value to the Corporation and probably to this country is, in my estimation, something that we will know about and appreciate in a very short few years—and no thanks to Deputy Ryan. I hope he will remember that when the time comes.
Mr. Ryan
And it will be two years before there is a room built. If it was disorderly to say that, I will say it again.
There were no Fine Gael members present at the last few meetings.