asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the cost of producing the telephone directory, Parts 1 and 2, and the golden pages directory.
18.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Telephone Directory .
17.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the cost to his Department of printing Parts 1 and 2, respectively, of the telephone directory; and the name of the firm who hold the contract for the printing at present.
: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 18 together.
The alphabetical telephone directories, Parts 1 and 2, are produced under contract and it would be contrary to established practice to disclose information about contract prices. The present contract is held by Richview, Browne and Nolan Limited.
The classified directory, the Golden Pages, is at present produced under licence from my Department by a private company, ITT World Directories Ireland Limited.
: What is the explanation for Deputies not being given information concerning the cost of producing the telephone directory since the State vis-à-vis the taxpayer must bear the cost? Surely we are entitled to such information irrespective of contracts or otherwise.
: The firm who print and bind the directory were awarded the contract on foot of competitive tender and in accordance with the usual procedure. I appreciate the point the Deputy is making but I do not consider Question Time to be the appropriate vehicle for discussion of the matter. I am simply conforming with long-established practice. To give the information requested by the Deputy would represent a major change in that practice and would have all sorts of implications for future-contractual negotiations. The question is one that I consider to have merit but it would need to be debated at further length because at this stage I will not be in a position to give a satisfactory reply on the lines requested by the Deputy.
: I appeal to the Chair for a ruling on this matter. It is something that may well relate to other questions. Is it not the right of a Deputy to be given an answer to a question relating to the cost to the taxpayer of any item of Government expenditure?
: It is a longstanding practice and ruling that the Chair has no control over the answers of Ministers in replying to questions.
: I accept that but I am asking simply for a general ruling on the procedure of ministerial answers to questions tabled by Deputies.
: The Chair has no function in the matter.
: Is a Deputy not entitled to seek information of this nature and to be given a specific answer?
: The fact that the question appears on the Order Paper indicates that the Deputy is entitled to ask the question but the Chair cannot help him in regard to the answer.
: My policy would be to give as much information as possible but in this instance I am conforming with long-established practice.