asked the Minister for Justice the number of times he has met with the Ulster Defence Association; and the date of his most recent meeting, the nature of the talks and the outcome.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meetings with UDA.
37.
I have had no talks with the Ulster Defence Association. If the Deputy is referring to a newspaper report of 7th October, the position is that I briefly met the persons named in that report but only in a casual way and there was no question of my engaging in talks.
The Minister said he met this individual or individuals in a casual way and there was no question of his engaging in talks. Did he just bid them the time of day?
No. As I said, I met them in a casual way and there was no question of engaging in talks.
Where did the Minister meet them? Did they come into Government Buildings?
In Leinster House.
Did the Minister meet them specifically in Leinster House and what was the purpose of their being in Leinster House?
I did not ask them their purpose in being here. I was asked to meet them and I was introduced to them and I spoke civilly to them.
Naturally, I would expect the Minister to do that. Did the Government specifically ask those individuals down? Did the Government collectively ask them down or did any member of the Government——
That seems to be a separate question.
There is no question of the Government inviting those people down. I was requested by an individual Deputy to meet them and I did so.
Do I take it that the individual Deputy of the Government party, whom we all know, invited those individuals down? Is that the position?
That is the position.
Did the Deputy introduce them to any other members of the Government?
The Deputy was acting entirely on a personal initiative of his own and was not acting on behalf of the Government or on behalf of the Government party.
Did those individuals meet any other members of the Government and what was the result of the talks with those Government members?
There were no talks with Government members. If the Deputy is trying to suggest that there were official talks with members of the Government may I correct that impression he is seeking to give by stating that there were no such talks? There was casual conversation between me and those people. The question only refers to me. If the Deputy wants to ask other members of the Government he may put down questions to them.
Question No. 38, please.
The Minister said they were not official talks. Were they unofficial talks?
If they were not official they must have been unofficial. I think the use of the word "talks" in relation to this casual encounter is to elevate it out of proportion.
Had the Deputy in question requested the Minister to meet those people in advance of the actual meeting?
No.
It was just a chance meeting?
A casual meeting.
Was it an accidental meeting or a pre-arranged meeting?
It was pre-arranged. It was not accidental in the sense that we encountered one another in the corridor. Perhaps the Deputy would allow me to amplify that because he quite clearly wants to create a wrong and mischievous impression. I was asked by the Deputy in question if I would meet those people when they were down here and I said: "Yes, I will be about if you want me to meet them."
We have been on this question a long time.
Can the Minister say if there were arrangements made for him to meet them again?
No.