asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to a Press report (details supplied) concerning the Government Press Secretary; and, if so, if he will make a statement on the propriety of the attendance of a civil servant at a party political meeting.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government Press Secretary.
1.
The Government Press Secretary attended the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis at my request to deal with inquiries from the media including representatives of foreign media in relation to Government policy, as well as requests for interviews which the Government Press Secretary arranged.
I often said when I was rudely interrupted in 1972 that the Taoiseach was standing idly by.
Has the Deputy got his voice back?
(Interruptions.)
Yes, thanks be to God. Would the Taoiseach not now agree that he was not standing idly by when he ordered the Director of the GIS to attend, against his wishes, the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis? Would the Taoiseach inform the House what was his status there? As a civil servant was he responsible to the State that pays him or to the Fianna Fáil Party? Is the Taoiseach satisfied that a higher civil servant should be ordered against his wishes to appear at a political function?
There is no indication whatever that the Press Secretary attended the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis against his wishes.
There is.
On the contrary, I do not think his wishes enter into the matter if he attends a function like this at my request. He attended, as I said, to make arrangements for interviews, which were requested, and to convey to Press representatives generally any information that I wanted to give to them on Government policy. He was not there in any capacity related to the Fianna Fáil Party.
Surely the Taoiseach is aware that Ard Fheiseanna have been held in this country for the last 50 to 60 years, that interviews have been given and that this was the first time in the history of the State that the Director of the GIS was ordered to attend such a political function? Does the Taoiseach not think it a pity that he would do anything to erode the trust that has been built up since the foundation of the State between different Governments and the Irish civil service because of the integrity and, indeed, the loyalty of the civil servants of this State to different Governments? Does the Taoiseach not think that this is again encouraging low standards in high places?
I wanted to ensure, as I think it is my right and to an extent my duty, the availability of the best possible liaison officer between me and the Press. The Government Press Secretary is the best possible liaison officer in this respect that I know of and, therefore, I felt it right that he should be there.
Over and above all that, his function related to his position as the Government Information Press Secretary under my control. I may tell the Deputy that when I was Taoiseach before, I frequently instructed civil servants, to wit my private secretary, from time to time, to attend the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in different places, as I required them to attend and as long as it was consistent with my duties as Taoiseach. Further, may I ask the Deputy, if he was aware that the former Press Secretary was in attendance at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis.
That is completely wrong.
I had inquiries made. The Deputy may not have gone to that extent.
The information is wrong. The Taoiseach is misled again.
(Interruptions.)
May I also say that the Government Press Secretary did not stand for election and then come back to the job again as happened before.