asked the Taoiseach whether any Ministers of State continue to be members of local authorities; if he has requested them to resign; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authorities.
2.
The following Ministers of State are members of local authorities: Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Mr. Paddy Hegarty; Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Mr. Paul Connaughton; Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Mr. Joe Bermingham; Minister of State at the Department of Industry and Energy, Mr. Edward Collins; Minister of State at the Department of Transport and at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, Mr. John Donnellan; Minister of State at the Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism, Mr. Michael Moynihan; Minister of State at the Department of Labour, Mr. George Birmingham; Minister of State at the Department of Health and at the Department of Social Welfare, Mr. Fergus O'Brien; Minister of State at the Department of Education, Mr. Donal Creed; Minister of State at the Department of Fisheries and Forestry and at the Department of the Gaeltacht, Mr. Michael D'Arcy.
On the appointment of the Ministers of State, they were advised of the practice normally followed by Governments in recent years. The precedents set by the two most recent Fianna Fáil Governments show that from December 1979 to June 1981, a period in excess of 18 months, six Ministers of State did not resign at all during the lifetime of that Government and in the period March 1982 to December 1982, four Ministers of State and a Cabinet Minister did not resign from membership of local authorities.
(Interruptions.)
Supplementaries, please.
Never show the white feather. Regarding the 18 months the Taoiseach has just referred to, could he name any member of the Cabinet who did not resign his seat?
I said quite clearly that in the period March-December 1982 a Minister did not resign from membership of a local authority. He was — I always say "of course"— Deputy Doherty.
Does the Taoiseach accept that the Tánaiste should be a member of a local authority and should retain his position as such? After all, he is a member of a local authority and Minister for the Environment at the same time. Does the Taoiseach consider that that is an ideal situation?
That was dealt with in a reply to another question. It does not arise under this question.
Is the Taoiseach aware that, due to the attitude of his party members in Roscommon, there is no system of allowing a Minister to retire and allowing a Fianna Fáil representative to take his place?
That seems to be another question.
(Interruptions.)
I am aware of gross analogies between the practices of the Unionist Party in Northern Ireland with an absolute majority and those of the Fianna Fáil Party in this State with regard to co-options, but I am more than happy, as in Northern Ireland are the SDLP, to enter into discussions with a view to achieving a measure of power-sharing universally throughout the country.
Is the Taoiseach saying then that he disagrees with the practice of his members on Roscommon County Council who are operating a Unionist type council?
(Interruptions.)
I am more than happy to enter into discussions to get over the problems created by the actions of Fianna Fáil in certain areas in relation to co-options. Now I want to lower the temperature if I may and say seriously that we should look at this thing together rather than make party points about it. Problems have arisen in successive Governments and we should be able to sort it out together in the interests of Parliament and the local authorities.
I am glad the Taoiseach has become serious again.
(Interruptions.)
Order.
Does the Taoiseach agree with reference to the Tánaiste and Minister for the Environment and the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment that there is a clash of interests in the fact that they have——
We have gone wide of the original question.
No, the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment is included in the reply.
He is not.
Has he resigned?
No. He was not a member of a local authority. The Deputy should do his homework.
(Interruptions.)
The deputy leader of the Government is on a local authority.
Does the Taoiseach agree that he should remain on that local authority? Secondly, will he renew the request which he made to these Ministers in the interests of paying attention to their portfolios and ask them now to resign from their local authorities?
The Chair feels that this question clearly deals with Ministers of State. There was a question down very recently about Ministers.
I think there is some trouble in the Labour Party.
I am sorry the Deputy who put down the question is not here and has not asked a question. He is a Deputy who as a Minister remained a member of the Galway County Council for ten months following his appointment to the Cabinet.
The Taoiseach should not refer to the Roscommon Fine Gael councillors as Unionists.