Vol. 530 No. 6
43 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Finance the source of the payment for the advertisements placed by the Minister of State at his Department in local newspapers in Waterford city and county in the run-up to Christmas 2000; and the details of the cost in each case. [1904/01]
I am happy to inform the Deputy that the cost of the advertisements placed by me in six Waterford newspapers in December 2000 extending Christmas wishes was met by me. I was of the view that my colleague, the Minister for Finance, had done such a good job that it behoved me to bring the good news to my constituents in County Waterford.
What was the cost of the advertisements?
It was a personal matter. I placed the advertisements for which I paid in a personal capacity, not in my capacity as Minister of State.
One the advertisements in the Dungarvan Observer of 13 December virtually took up a full page. The Minister of State is listed as the Minister of State at the Department of Finance.
It is not appropriate for the Deputy to display documents in the House. Will he, please, ask questions?
It is not appropriate to raise the matter in the absence of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, as it might lead to a public challenge.
Did the cost of the advertisements exceed the level of expenditure a Deputy is entitled to undertake under the Ethics in Public Office Act?
I am sure it did not.
I am sure a full page advertisement in the Dungarvan Observer would cost at least £500.
If memory serves me correctly, it was less than £500.
Given that the advertisement was placed in six newspapers, the cost must have run to thousands of pounds.
They were not all as expensive or as extensive as the advertisement placed in the Dungarvan Observer.
What was the overall cost of the placing of the advertisements?
I have no problem with this. It was purely a personal decision. If the Deputy wants to know the overall cost involved, I can inform him.
The four Deputies in the constituency could share the cost.
Perhaps the Minister of State should take a leaf out of the book of my constituency colleague, Deputy Callely, on the innovative ways in which he has used the resources of the State to raise considerable amounts of money to pay for glossy colour advertisements.
The people of Waterford are satisfied with factually correct, first-hand information on the good news in the budget.
We will be sending Christmas cards next.
Jackie Fahey used to send 40,000 Christmas cards.
It was much cheaper to place the advertisement than to send 40,000 Christmas cards.
