asked the Minister for Justice whether State cars were used to transport Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries during their East Donegal campaign in support of the candidature of Dr. McGinley and Mr. O'Donnell.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of State Cars.
The answer is in the affirmative.
Will the Minister tell me now whether he still thinks that it is a corrupt and immoral practice, as he alleged during the Locke Distillery debate here, for Ministers to use their cars during elections?
Will the Minister indicate whether it is any worse than the carrying of suck calves and bonhams in State cars?
Deputies might assume that the Minister is competent to answer.
Deputies
Deputy S. Collins does not, anyway.
Will the Minister state whether cars were used by Parliamentary Secretaries on the occasion of the last general election and, if so, whether a charge which was referred to in this House has been paid?
That is a separate question.
Would the Minister indicate whether, in fact, Deputy Boland used a State car in the Donegal by-election?
Mr. Boland
Deputy Boland has a State car and the Minister can take it any time he cares to do so. I have never asked for it and I have never wanted it either.
A Deputy
You use it all the same.
Mr. Boland
Yes, I use it, while I have it.
Is the Minister aware that Mr. W.T. Cosgrave has had a State car for the past 15 years?
Who raised this matter?
You described it as a corrupt practice.
Mr. Boland
I feel that the Minister is inciting people by saying that we condemned people to death on false evidence or without any evidence at all. They must think that it is necessary to provide a car for Deputy Boland who does not want a car——
I would draw the attention of the House to the fact that a threat has been made to the former Minister for Justice by a Deputy on the benches opposite. That Deputy had better mind himself——
Order!
Do members of this House not think that the recent tendency to put down questions such as these for answer in this House is making a disgrace of the House and a laughing stock of the country?
I want an answer from the Minister for Justice. Does he now consider, as he alleged during the discussion in this House in regard to the Locke Distillery, that it was a corrupt and immoral practice for Ministers to use their cars during elections?
The Minister for Justice was not then a Minister responsible to the House. Question No. 25.
Get out, for goodness' sake, and do not be holding down your——
You will have a long time to wait for the car, Paddy.
I have been challenged on a certain point. I did allege that the last Government were guilty of immoral conduct in using the cars during the Presidential election. There is no analogy between Donegal and that incident.
During the Presidential election there were three candidates. There were three candidates in the Donegal by-election also, and Ministerial cars were used in support of two of them. I do not object to the practice. I merely wish to call attention to the fact that the Minister is now doing what he once said was corrupt and immoral.
I deny that there is any analogy between the two instances.
Mr. Con Lehane rose.
Question No. 25.