asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether it was on his instructions that the solicitor acting for him in the proceedings which the Minister in his private capacity had instituted against the Irish Press wrote to Mr. D.J. O'Donovan who, at that time was Secretary to the Department of Social Welfare, demanding that certain official confidential documents and information of a confidential character be furnished to him to assist him in prosecuting the proceedings in question and indicating that Mr. O'Donovan was authorised by the Minister as his superior officer to send them to the solicitor who would receive them as a servant of the Minister; whether it was also with his approval that his lawyers and solicitor, in a personal interview on the 27th June, 1949, again pressed Mr. O'Donovan to furnish them with the papers and information in question; and whether it was at the Minister's instance that his counsel informed Mr. O'Donovan that on the following Monday he would receive instructions from the Taoiseach to produce the documents, to furnish the information and to give the evidence which counsel demanded.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Production of Confidential Documents.
The solicitor, and counsel retained by him, conducted the proceedings on their own initiative. I gave no directions to them as Minister for Social Welfare.
In view of the nature of the Minister's reply, I propose to raise on the Adjournment the substance of that answer and question, as well as the substance of Question No. 1 and the answer given thereto by the Taoiseach.