asked the Minister for Justice if he will confirm the statement, published recently in a Dublin morning newspaper, to the effect that the band of the Garda Síochána was engaged in recent weeks in an advertising campaign for the marketing of a beverage by the Irish agents of an American firm, and, if the statement is correct, if he will state the circumstances under which this band was engaged and the amount, if any, received by the State as remuneration for the service and, further, if he will indicate if the utilisation of State employees in this or in a like manner meets with his approval, or if he proposes to instruct that this band or any other public service for which he is responsible, will not in future be used in similar circumstances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Síochána Band.
I have ascertained that the Band of the Garda Síochána accepted an engagement to take part in a procession on the 27th June in connection with the advertising campaign to which the Deputy refers and that a fee of 22 guineas was paid for its services on that occasion and credited to the band fund which is fed from voluntary subscriptions from members of the force, engagement fees and occasional donations. The band, which is administered by a committee under the control of the Commissioner, is permitted to accept engagements to play at social and sporting functions of various kinds, but the use of the band in connection with commercial advertising is, I think, to be deprecated. The Commissioner is of the same opinion and he has taken steps to see that no such engagement will be accepted in future.
Can I take it that the Minister gives this House a guarantee——
Mr. Boland
That is what I have said in my reply.
——that no outside firm will avail of the services of the band to further their own interests?