asked the Taoiseach the specific duties assigned to the Government press secretary, and the salary, emoluments and conditions of employment attaching to the post.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government Press Secretary.
1.
As has been the case with his predecessors in the post, the Government press secretary is required under his contract of employment to perform any duties assigned to him from time to time by the Taoiseach as appropriate to his position.
In practice his work consists principally of ensuring that the media are kept informed of Government decisions and policies and of securing from Ministers and Departments information sought by the media in respect of the activities of these Ministers and Departments.
The Government press secretary receives salary at a rate equivalent to the maximum of the Civil Service assistant secretary, at present £26,054 per annum, and in addition, a contribution equal to 12 per cent of salary is payable towards the cost of superannuation. In accordance with the general practice introduced by me when I first took office as Taoiseach in June 1981, the appointment will, unless terminated by notice, last for the duration of the present Government only. The position is wholetime and he is not allowed under his contract to engage in or be connected with any outside business. Customary arrangements apply in relation to sick leave and annual leave and he is subject to the usual Civil Service regulations relating to official secrecy and integrity.
Is the Taoiseach aware of the recent activities of the press secretary in denigrating the alternate British Prime Minister, the leader of a major political party there? Would the Taoiseach care to comment on the matter?
A question was disallowed on that matter.
Would the Taoiseach say whether this type of activity comes within the specific duties assigned to the press secretary of the Government?
A question on this matter was received and after adjudication it was disallowed. Is the Deputy questioning the ruling of the Chair?
The question was addressed to the Taoiseach.
It was disallowed by the Chair on the grounds that the Taoiseach had no responsibility for it.
Again, I shall try my question to the Taoiseach. Is he aware of the recent activities of the press secretary? An article was clearly identified as having been written by the press secretary and does the Taoiseach condone this sort of activity where, as I said, his press secretary denigrates the Leader of the Labour Party — a man who is very likely to be the next leader of the British Government?
First, I am aware of the review and I have read it. It was a very good review, written over the press secretary's own name. There is no reason why any civil servant should not, in his private life, write about matters of general concern. I do not recall that in the past when, for example, Myles na gCopaleen or Thomas Kinsella or others in the Civil Service were writing, questions being raised about it. I think it quite appropriate that anybody in the Civil Service should use his or her talents to write about matters of which he or she has particular knowledge or a particular interest in. The review was a good one and did not, in my view, denigrate Mr. Kinnock.
I think the Taoiseach is losing his marbles. The Taoiseach has gone off his rocker.
Order, please.
Would the Taoiseach say whether he gave approval to the article by his Government press secretary before it was submitted for publication in the Sunday newspapers?
Good heavens, no — no more than the Leader of the Opposition approved of the writings of Anthony Cronin when he was working for him, I presume.
Not on political matters.
Would the Taoiseach say whether he thinks it appropriate for a Government press secretary to engage in this sort of attack on this type of leader and whether he agrees that a public servant should engage in attacks on political leaders in this country also?
There was no attack made on any political leader. The Deputy either did not read the review or, if he did so, he must have read it with an extraordinarly closed mind. The review contained no attack on Mr. Kinnock. It was an interesting and relevant examination of the role of the politician under modern conditions. I wish more people would write on politics in those terms.
Would the Taoiseach say what experience the press secretary has to write such an article in which there was a direct attack on the Leader of the British Labour Party? How competent is he and whence did he get his competence?
That is a matter of opinion.
He is allowed to chance his arm, as well as anybody else.
(Interruptions.)
Order, please. Question No. 2.
One would imagine that the Opposition could find something more constructive to debate.
The Chair does not need any help from either side of the House. Order, please.
To get back from Deputy Kelly to the Taoiseach's reply, would the Taoiseach not agree that nowhere in his reply was there contained any reference whatever to the matter of a press secretary using his assignment and having as terms of reference for his mandate the right to engage in public controversy either at home or abroad in regard to public political figures at home or abroad?
That is a separate question.
I want the Taoiseach to repeat his original reply. Would he not agree, if he does not wish to do this, that nowhere in his official reply is there any reference to an incursion by the press secretary into the area of public controversy as being part of the mandate of the press secretary of the Government?
The Deputy and other Deputies with him seem incapable of understanding that everybody, whether a civil servant or not, has a private life and is perfectly entitled in his private capacity ——
Insulting.
——to write in a free country. Please God, it will continue in that way and no Government will ever seek to prevent that.
(Interruptions.)
It was a specific question. We have been listening to many third-rate answers from the Taoiseach. I want to know why this sort of nonsense was not included in the Taoiseach's official reply to the question put down by Deputy Collins. Nowhere in his reply is there any reference to this extension of the press secretary's mandate.
Deputy Lenihan, please. I am calling Question No. 2.
I would like to point out that the question asked was what the specific duties assigned to the Government press secretary are, and I answered that in detail. We are not talking about that. We are talking about what the press secretary does in his private life.
(Interruptions.)
It is nice to see Fianna Fáil becoming so solicitous all of a sudden.
Somebody would want to be solicitous for the Labour Party.
Illiteracy is not a requirement for employment by the State.