asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the manner in which foreign policy and the functions of the Department of Foreign Affairs will be administered.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers. - Foreign Policy.
4.
The policy and functions of the Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to be administered in accordance with established practice.
Would the Taoiseach agree that it is not very well established practice in recent times to appoint a person from the Seanad to be Minister for Foreign Affairs? In view of that change could he give us some indication of the way in which he sees this new arrangement working? Will the Senator in question attend the House here regularly? Will he be here for Question Time or will he only appear when particular Foreign Affairs matters are being discussed? What will be the normal working arrangements?
The Minister will carry out his functions in the ordinary way. He will be available to this House whenever this House requires his presence.
Would the Taoiseach indicate to us what is the existing arrangement? Has Professor Dooge any particular functions at the moment? What is his status at the moment? Has he any administrative facilities provided for him — for example, transport or any of these things?
As of now the Minister for Foreign Affairs is Deputy John Kelly. Professor Dooge cannot take up his appointment as a member of the Government until he becomes a Member of the Seanad, which will come as a result of an appointment by me, and until he is subsequently appointed by the Dáil as a Minister.
In the meantime the duties of Minister for Foreign Affairs will be carried out by Deputy John Kelly. Professor Dooge will be able to attend EEC meetings as an adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs but will not be entitled to vote as an Irish representative. On Monday next, 13 July, he will be attending a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In the interim period, pending his appointment, he will continue to be a member of the staff of UCD and to be paid by the college until he takes up his appointment.
Will the Taoiseach conform that as of now Professor Dooge is not in receipt of any administrative facilities or perquisites and will not be until such time as he officially takes up his appointment?
I am not quite sure as to the Minister's facilities. He will attend at the Department where he will be able to act in an advisory capacity pending taking up his appointment.
Will he attend Government meetings? Is he attending Government meetings?
The position about Government meetings is that he can attend Government meetings.
Is he attending Government meetings?
Allow me to answer. He may attend Government meetings and receive the agenda and the relative documents but will not be entitled to contribute to discussions at the meetings unless specifically invited by the Taoiseach to do so.
I would like to get this straight, because this seems to be an extraordinary type of cabal that is meeting over there in Government Buildings at the moment. We have Senator FitzGerald apparently attending Government meetings, participating in discussions, presumably in receipt of Cabinet papers and documents, then we have a Minister designate who is not attending Government meetings——
He is attending Government meetings.
I asked the Taoiseach has he attended Government meetings and the Taoiseach did not answer me. Now I understand he is attending Government meetings. Have both Senator FitzGerald and Professor Dooge subscribed in any way to the Officials Secrets Act or what is the position in that regard?
(Interruptions.)
That is a separate question. If the Deputy puts down a question I will answer it.
It is quite clear from Question No. 2 that I asked the exact status of Senator FitzGerald. Will the Taoiseach clarify that we now have two outsiders attending Government meetings, having access to Government and Cabinet papers, agenda and memoranda, who are not members of the public service and who, presumably, have not subscribed to the Official Secrets Act? Is that the position?
In the case of Professor Dooge, the precedent exists in two previous appointments from the Seanad —Senator Connolly and Senator Moylan.
What is the position with regard to the Official Secrets Act and access to Government papers and memoranda? Have the people concerned subscribed to the Official Secrets Act?
If the Deputy puts down a question to that effect I will answer it. I have not that information here.
I should have thought that on a fairly vital matter such as this the Taoiseach would be in a position to inform the House of the situation. I am sorry about that. I will put down a question.
Am I to take it that the new Minister will not be officially appointed by the Dáil until the Dáil meets next October after the summer recess?
On the first occasion after his appointment to the Seanad.
That is after the summer recess.
I have answered the question.
Does the Taoiseach regard the appointment of Professor Dooge to the designate office of Foreign Affairs as a clear indication that in his view out of the 50 odd members of Fine Gael——
Deputies
Sixty-five members.
I am excluding those members who are office holders already. There are able and experienced parliamentarians in Fine Gael but does the Taoiseach not accept that appointing Professor Dooge in this way is equivalent to saying to his party that not one of them is capable of being a Minister for Foreign Affairs?
(Interruptions.)
What about Robert Molloy? What about Martin O'Donoghue?
Rarely have any Government entered office with so much concern being expressed for them and their supporters as has been the case with this Government. We are most grateful for the kind wishes emanating from the other side of the House.
Will the Taoiseach not do the decent thing and appoint somebody from the west of Ireland as Minister for Foreign Affairs?
(Interruptions.)