asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the cost of official greeting cards sent by him at Christmas, 1974; and whether the cards were of Irish manufacture.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Official Greeting Cards.
38.
(Cavan): The cost of official greeting cards sent at Christmas, 1974, was £3,141.38. The cards were of Irish design, print and manufacture and the overwhelming proportion of them were sent abroad.
Did the Minister say £3,000? Where were they sent to?
Is this not another case for the Guinness Book of Records?
(Cavan): I do not know.
Deputy Fahey has lost his reputation after that. He did not measure up to that.
(Cavan): Compared with some of the answers given when the previous Government were in office that is quite good.
Has the Minister got the figure for the cost of Christmas cards sent by the Fianna Fáil Minister for Foreign Affairs?
Deputies should allow Question Time to proceed.
(Cavan): Deputies should be realistic. I do not think what they are saying will go down well with the country. I am answering on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. He has international contacts.
So had Dr. Hillery.
(Cavan): It is very much in the interest of this country that contacts should be kept up.
A fat lot of good they are doing.
I should like to ask two brief questions. Were these Christmas cards made of gold? Would it not be proper for our Ambassador to send out Christmas cards instead of wasting £3,000? The country will be shocked.
Question No. 39.