asked the Minister for the Environment if he will now make a statement arising out of the premature circulation of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Bill, 1978, and accompanying memoranda.
Written Answers. - Circulation of Bill.
141.
As I indicated in reply to Question No. 7 of 25 May 1978, I had the matter referred, at the Government's instruction, to the Garda Commissioner for investigation. As the Deputy will be aware from my statement in the House on 1 November—Volume 9, column 1562—I have recently been informed by the commissioner that the investigation has been completed, without it being possible, however, for the Garda to establish the source of the unauthorised disclosure and that no proceedings are intended in the case in relation to either the disclosure or the dissemination of these documents.
While I am satisfied that the Garda inquiry establishes that no suspicion attaches to any of the officers of my Department who had or might have had access to the documents, I am concerned to ensure that, as far as possible, such an incident does not occur again and all those concerned with the handling of confidential documents have been alerted to the need for intensifying precautions.
In the interests of accuracy, I would point out that the documents to which access apparently was had, did not include a version of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Bill, 1977, approved by the Government for circulation to Deputies, but an earlier draft which had not been submitted to the Government.