asked the Taoiseach if he is now in a position to say what decision the Government has reached about bringing the activities of State and semi-State companies under review by a Dáil Committee.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - State and Semi-State Companies.
17.
As I indicated in answer to the Deputy's question of the 22nd October, 1969, the position is being re-examined in the light of the recommendations in relation to those bodies in the report of the Public Services Organisation Review Group. The main recommendations in the report in regard to the general restructuring of the public service are still under consideration and it is not envisaged that there will be any developments on the questions of a Dáil committee to review the activities of State-sponsored bodies until these recommendations have been fully examined and decided on.
How long does the Taoiseach visualise that taking?
I cannot say.
When will this report be available to the House?
It is available already.
This one about the review of the activities of State bodies whereby we hope the House will be able to get information which down the years it has been unable to get on the activities of State bodies such as Bord Fáilte, the ESB and others— when will this report be available?
There is no separate report. I am talking about the report known as the Devlin Report. That is available to the House. As the Deputy is aware, it is a rather voluminous document which makes fundamental suggestions as to the restructuring of the public service including State-sponsored bodies. The Government are giving urgent consideration to what they regard as some of the major recommendations as a preliminary to making decisions on the other consequential recommendations.
Some time ago, the Taoiseach will remember, I asked him in this House—and he told me that the position was being reviewed—would Deputies get information on grants made available from public funds to citizens of this country. I had particularly in mind grants made available by the tourist board which amounted to £800,000 in the last financial year—
We cannot discuss——
—— and which is a State secret. Would the Taoiseach not agree that the taxpayers, through this House, are entitled to that information? That is what I have in mind. I do not like to see the disbursement of State funds——
We cannot have a speech on this question.
That is not a speech, Sir. Will the Taoiseach say whether that information will be made available to the Members of this House and that there will be no longer any secrecy about the disbursement of public funds in reasonably substantial amounts as many people believe that this is——
The Deputy may not pursue that again.
—— essential?
Question No. 18.
The Deputy is jealous.
Deputy Liam Cosgrave.
Am I right in thinking——
Can I get a reply to my question?
Would the Deputy allow Deputy Cosgrave to put his supplementary?
With due respect, I asked the Taoiseach a question——
I am entitled to wait for all the supplementaries and reply to them together.
To put it simply: will the shroud of secrecy be withdrawn from the disbursement of public funds to individuals of the State? Yes or no.
Of course, it will. There is never a shroud of secrecy about disbursement of public funds.
Of course, there is. We have the Taoiseach's assurance. I will take him up on that again. I do not like to be too hard on him today.
Is it not a fact that the recommendations of the Devlin Committee have now been referred to Departments for examination and that the effect of that will be to frustrate the very recommendations that were made?
They have been referred to Departments in a couple of specific instances with an indication of the Government's mind so there will be no question of frustration involved.
Then the Government have made some decisions on it?
The Government have a mind?
Well, I do not like to say decisions have been made in advance of their being recorded.
That is a new approach.