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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 Oct 1969

Vol. 241 No. 9

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Activities of State Bodies.

20.

asked the Taoiseach what decision the Government have taken in regard to the bringing of the activities of State bodies, including their accounts, before a special committee of the Dáil; and if he will introduce proposals to establish such a committee.

The possibility of establishing a Dáil Committee to review the activities of State-sponsored bodies has been under active consideration. As, however, the position now requires a re-assessment in the light of the recommendations in relation to these bodies in the recently published report of the Public Services Organisation Review Group, a decision by the Government has not been possible as yet.

I suppose that is a valid reason for postponing a decision.

It is a genuine one.

Could the Taoiseach give any information as to when he will be able to announce a decision? The matter has been before him for some time now and it is vitally important to ensure that public money is not squandered by these bodies.

I do not think public money is ever squandered by these bodies. The purpose is to bring their activities under closer review. The squandering of money does not arise.

But it is a possibility.

The report was published within the past few weeks. It is a very voluminous document and a very important document and it is, therefore, not easy to come to a decision on it.

As the Taoiseach is aware, it has been stated from time to time that Members of this House are not entitled to get any information and is the Taoiseach aware that in the case of Bord Fáilte £800,000 was disbursed in the year 1967-68 to hoteliers and the Minister for Transport and Power refused to give any information to the House with regard to the disbursement of that money? It was assumed a reasonable share went to those people who supported the Taca organisation. Does the Taoiseach agree that this House is entitled to information in regard to the expenditure of public funds?

The Taca device failed miserably last June. Leave them out of it now.

I think the Taoiseach is not aware that, even though he is Prime Minister here...

Deputies

Taoiseach.

... he had, on the eve of the election...

The Deputy may not make a speech at Question Time. The Deputy is entitled to put a question to the Taoiseach.

The Deputy is asking the Taoiseach if he is aware of these facts.

Does the Taoiseach agree that in the nineteenth Dáil it is the policy of the Government that State bodies which are getting large injections of public funds, through this House, can use these funds as they so decide and are not accountable to the elected representatives of the people for the disbursement of those funds? Is he further aware that this particular organisation has this right of making grants available without being responsible to the elected representatives to this House, the Parliament, and does he propose that this position shall continue in the future?

I thought it was implicit in my reply that I do not propose that that position should continue in the future but that there is to be a change in the review of the accountability of State-sponsored bodies, and that is what we are considering.

Will the Taoiseach agree that that change should bring about the position — most Members of the House are interested in this, and it will be the Government who will carry out the review — whereby I or any other Member of the House who desires information on the disbursement of funds made available to State-sponsored bodies should have that information readily available, or at least an annual report setting out the particulars of the grants and other public funds made available to any group? Does the Taoiseach think that that would be fair?

The Deputy cannot oversimplify the position. He knows well that in certain circumstances there are commercial considerations that preclude too much disclosure of these matters.

Question No. 21. I am calling Question No. 21.

(Interruptions.)
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