The Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Phil Hogan, has given me notice in writing that he wishes to make a personal explanation and I have decided to permit the explanation.
Resignation of Minister of State: Personal Explanation.
I wish to apologise unreservedly to this House for the circumstances surrounding the issue of budget material in error on 8 February 1995. As is known by the House, this happened at 12.15 p.m. in advance of the Budget Statement delivered by my colleague, Deputy Quinn, Minister for Finance. I particularly wish to apologise to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Social Welfare and the Minister for Finance for the embarrassment caused on a day when the focus should have been on the Government's success in implementing many of the major elements outlined in the programme, A Government of Renewal.
Before I outline in detail the sequence of events surrounding this genuine error I wish to make a number of important points. I have never in public life been accused of breaking a confidence. Second, I did not set out to breach Cabinet confidentiality. Third, as soon as it was brought to my attention that this breach had occurred immediate steps were taken to rectify the situation. It is therefore a matter of personal regret that I have been accused of being in breach of Cabinet confidentiality and I want to put on record that this was a genuine mistake. Without detracting from the seriousness of the situation, my colleagues must accept that nobody would attempt to leak a confidential document by faxing it to the press with their name attached. I will take the House through the sequence of events which led to this genuine error.
A statement was prepared in my office and completed at 11.45 a.m. which I intended for release after the Minister for Finance had concluded his speech. This one-page statement which was on green coloured paper will show that, as Minister of State at the Department of Finance, I was welcoming the budget and the contribution the Minister for Finance, Deputy Quinn, had made to this excellent package. The House will note that details relating to the budget were not contained in this statement. At the same time a second document containing two white pages had been prepared. I understood this to be briefing material for members of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party. This document contains summary elements of the Budget Statement and was due to for release at the conclusion of the Minister's speech. Earlier in the day I had indicated to the parliamentary party that I would be in a position to brief them at about 6.30 p.m. and that this document was the basis of that briefing.
A document was presented to me in my office at 11.45 a.m. containing three pages. I looked at the top page, coloured green, and made some minor changes to it. I also looked briefly at the second and third pages and approved them. It is important to point out that these events took place at a time when I had just left the parliamentary party meeting and was rushing to be present in the Dáil Chamber to attend the debate on the flooding crisis. As a result I spent only a brief moment in my office. I assumed that my special adviser was aware, as I was, that the three pages represented two documents and that they were intended for separate political purposes. However in my desire to go quickly into the Chamber I regrettably did not leave full instructions that none of the material was to be released until after the budget speech of the Minister for Finance. This lack of clarity on my part caused confusion and both documents were issued as one in error to the news editors, starting with the two evening papers, at 12.15 p.m. As I stated earlier, the intention was to circulate only the green coloured single page statement after the Minister for Finance had concluded his speech.
As soon as I become aware through the Chief Whip at about 12.40 p.m. that budget material had been prematurely released I took immediate action to prevent further circulation. As a result the news release reached only the two newspapers previously mentioned. That is precisely what happened. I am putting those facts to the House not to excuse the matter but rather to acknowledge that lack of clarity on my part in instructions to my political adviser resulted in this unfortunate incident. I assure the House I am fully aware of the seriousness of this matter and I take full responsibility for it.
The circulation of both documents together was entirely a genuine error. The fact that this material carried my name is ample evidence that it was not designed to be leaked or for any malicious intent. Neither document contained market-sensitive information. On an issue raised by Deputy McDowell, it is normal practice for Government parties to brief their party colleagues on the implication of budgetary strategy as close as possible to completion of the budget speech. In order to ensure that these briefings would be comprehensive I followed what I understood was the practice of previous administrations in sending budgetary proposals to the party office on the strict condition that this information would be kept under lock and key until completion of the budget speech. This information was given personally to the Fine Gael Press Office at lunchtime yesterday, shortly before the Dáil assembled for the budget debate. Other information had been given on Tuesday night, the night before the budget debate. This information was not made public and was intended for internal use and distribution to Fine Gael Members of the Oireachtas after the Minister's speech had concluded, and that is exactly what happened.
I apologise to the Minister for Finance, the Government and the House for this genuine error. I assure you, a Cheann Comhairle, and the Members of the House that no disrespect was intended. I am proud to be a member of Fine Gael, a party with the highest ideals and values of honesty and integrity, whose members have always put the country first rather than the individual. To avoid any possibility of damaging a Government led by the Taoiseach, Deputy John Bruton, a man of the utmost decency and understanding, I have tendered my resignation from Government and it has been accepted. The decision to resign is entirely my own.
I wish to put on record the generous support given to me not only by my own party colleagues but also by the Tánaiste, Deputy Dick Spring, the Minister for Social Welfare, Deputy Proinsias De Rossa, and my colleague, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Quinn. I hope my decision today will ensure that a Fine Gael led Government will continue to prosper and give prosperity to the people of this country for many years to come under the dynamic leadership of Deputy John Bruton.
Is it in order for me to make a comment?
It is a longstanding ruling of the Chair that questions, debate or comments of any kind on a personal explanation of the type we have heard is not permitted. However, the House may wish to hear the Taoiseach.
In the few short weeks since he took on the task as Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Phil Hogan, has made an outstanding contribution to the work of the Government. He showed great political and administrative capacity in mastering so very quickly the details of his brief in the area of public expenditure and budgetary policy and gave invaluable assistance to all of us involved in reaching political agreement on the content of the budget presented yesterday by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. His political and administrative capacity was also displayed in a signal way in the promptness with which he tackled the responsibilities of the Office of Public Works in regard to the recent flooding crisis.
It is characteristic of his sense of public duty that he was entirely willing to accept full personal responsibility for mistakes made in regard to the premature issue of material on the budget. His actions in all of this were motivated solely by his desire to maximise public and political support for the budget presented by his Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. Having shown his capacity and character in this difficult personal and political crisis, it is my earnest hope that conditions will soon again exist for Deputy Phil Hogan's return to senior public office.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
May I——
I hesitate to rule out the Leader of the main Opposition party. I am conscious of the ruling of the Chair in the past——
I will be very brief.
Very well, Deputy.
I want to pay tribute to Deputy Phil Hogan for his honourable and courageous decision. It is regrettable that an issue rather than a personal matter has led to his resignation. Unfortunately, he has been made the fall guy for something which happened in recent days.
A Deputy
In recent years.
He has vindicated his integrity and upheld the high standards of this House by his decision to resign. I pay tribute to him for doing this and wish him well in his political career on the backbenches.
I support the points made by Deputy Ahern. Deputy Phil Hogan has taken an honourable decision and I hope the circumstances when he can return to high office will come about soon. I am certain that Deputy Phil Hogan was not responsible for the extensive leaks in recent days. Sometimes the public do not understand when we feel sympathy for the personal position in which a Member finds himself and I think all Members will feel sympathy for the personal position in which Deputy Hogan finds himself. He is an honourable person of integrity and I hope the circumstances to which the Taoiseach referred will come about soon.