Vol. 428 No. 5
5 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Taoiseach the arrangements, if any, which were made in accordance with Article 28 of the Constitution for the discharge of the functions of the 13 members of the Government during their absence overseas for the St. Patrick's day period.
The Government made the Minister for Justice (Agency) Order, 1993, on 9 March last, assigning the duties of the Minister for Justice during her absence to the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. Other Ministers, in accordance with long established practice, made their own arrangements, as appropriate, for the discharge of their duties while they were abroad on official business.
I appreciate that the Taoiseach may be reluctant to give too much information as he is sensitive about the fact that most of his Cabinet were abroad on St. Patrick's Day. Can the Taoiseach tell us who had responsibility for the different Ministries while the Ministers were away, in accordance with the Constitution, which requires that arrangements are made according to law to regulate who will discharge functions of particular Ministers while they are abroad?
Deputy O'Keeffe as a former Minister knows what arrangements apply, and that an agency order is required in relation to the Minister for Justice. That procedure was carried out. Neither I nor any of my Ministers are as sensitive to travelling abroad as Deputy O'Keeffe appears to be although he must have held a record when he was Minister.
He had a world record.
It is a long standing practice that Ministers go abroad on business from time to time. The Deputy knows what arrangements apply and that there are specific arrangements in relation to the Minister for Justice. Deputy Garret FitzGerald in 1984 went abroad with a number of Ministers and Ministers of State. From the weekly questioning by Deputy O'Keeffe one would think this was a new phenomenon. Does the Deputy forget the time when his own party was in Government? The people outside know what the Deputy is trying to do.
It would be helpful if the Taoiseach, who says that he is not answering questions outside the House but will answer them here, would give the information asked for. I am sure the Taoiseach will appreciate that when a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs attends EC Council meetings——
——the question of an agency order does not arise. The Taoiseach is trying to mislead the House in relation to that. Will the Taoiseach now answer my specific question? Apart from the Minister for Justice who was in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, who was appointed to take over the functions of, for example, the Minister for Finance who was in New York if a currency crisis arose in his absence, or of the Minister for Social Welfare who was in Boston, or the Minister for Enterprise and Employment who was in San Francisco, Seattle and Phoenix or of the Minister for the Environment who was in Moscow——
The Deputy seems to be imparting information rather than seeking it. This is Question Time.
I am asking a specific question. I accept the information given in relation to the Minister for Justice. Who was, under the Constitution and the law, standing in for the other Ministers who were in these places? That is all I want to know.
Repetition is a luxury we cannot afford now.
The Deputy was hoping for a genuine disaster.
The Deputy knows that when Ministers are abroad they are in constant touch with their Departments. That has always been the case. Indeed, if I were to go back and look at every record I would embarrass the Deputy and I do not propose to do that.
May I ask the Taoiseach whether it is only the Minister for Justice who is required to make an agency order on being absent or whether there is a requirement on other Ministers, on being absent, to make agency orders? Will the Taoiseach indicate the basis upon which the Minister for Justice is required to make that agency order?
This is a separate question.
The answer to that question is so obvious I am surprised the Deputy asked it. It is for security reasons, and none other.
Agency rotation.
Let us come to deal with Priority Questions.
May I ask one other question?
No, order please. The questions we are about to embark upon are Priority Questions for which 20 minutes only is provided for in our Standing Orders. Question No. 6 please.
