Gay Mitchell
Question:1 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Taoiseach the steps he intends taking to keep the President informed of the Government's general policy in keeping with the constitutional requirement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meetings with President.
I would like to avail of this opportunity to assure the House that I will fully discharge the duty placed on me by Artcle 28.5.2º of the Constitution to keep the President generally informed on matters of domestic and international policy. I would not, however, regard it as appropriate or in keeping with the constitutional position to depart from precedent by discussing, in detail, in this House how I propose to do this. I should add, however, that, as I indicated I would, in reply to a supplementary question on Wednesday week last, I met the President yesterday for general discussions, and, of course, our respective offices keep in touch on a daily basis on a wide variety of matters.
Will the Taoiseach tell the House if it is a departure from recent practice that the Taoiseach's Office and the President's Office get in touch on a daily basis? Would the Taoiseach agree that in the past Presidents have been largely ignored by Governments, and would he further agree that a structured arrangement for keeping the President generally informed in accordance with Article 28.5.2º of the Constitution would be a desirable practice from here on?
I would not accept that the two offices did not regularly keep in touch irrespective of what administration was involved. In relation to any details about meetings or otherwise, it has never been the practice of this House to have a debate on that aspect and I will not depart from that.
Would the Taoiseach agree that the President could well be a useful source of independent and confidential advice to the Taoiseach, and that the advice given now is one way? Would the Taoiseach confirm that he intends to have the sort of meetings he had yesterday regularly with the President and that he will on a regular basis keep her informed as is required in Article 28.5.2º, since this Article of the Constitution has been breached on a number of occasions in the past?
The Deputy can be assured that I will fully discharge my constitutional duties under Article 28.5.2º.