Vol. 346 No. 10
asked the Minister for Justice if he will give details of any work carried out by his Department or any other Government Department at the home of the Minister for Justice or of any previous Minister for Justice in the past two years; the nature of any such work; and the reason for it.
66.
asked the Minister for Justice (1) on whose authority a decision was taken to undertake certain works (details supplied) at the home of the former Minister for Justice; (2) the amount of work done and its cost, including the building of a wall; and (3) if the former Minister for Justice himself requested, or demanded, any such work, or any part of it, to be undertaken.
Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 66 together.
As Deputy Shatter's question was first tabled last March, I am taking it that he is in effect asking for information relating to the period since March 1981. I am informed by the Commissioners of Public Works that the works carried out at the homes of Ministers for Justice during that period have been as follows:
At the home of Deputy J. Mitchell two huts, and toilet and electrical services, for use by the gardaí on protection duty were provided at a cost of £4,479.
At the County Roscommon home of Deputy Doherty two huts, and toilet and electrical services, were provided for use by the gardaí on protection duty. In addition boundary walls to a total length of approximately 350 feet and chain link fencing to a total length of approximately 460 feet were provided. The total cost involved was £15,844.74. Entrance gates were procured at a cost of £450 but were not erected. A hut was provided at the Deputy's Dublin home at a cost of £65.
At my own home two huts, and toilet and electrical service, have been and provided for use by the gardaí on protection duty. A security lighting system has also been provided. The total cost of these works was approximately £6,445.
I should make the point that my Department do not become involved in the detailed arrangements for security works at the homes of Ministers. It is normal for these matters to be settled in discussion between the appropriate Garda personnel and officials of the Office of Public Works.
In relation to the wall at Deputy Doherty's Roscommon home, which has been the subject of media comment and speculation, the procedure followed was that the Garda submitted a written requisition, mainly in general terms, for certain protection works that were to be carried out, including the erection of a security fence. The information available to me is that the question of the erection of the security fence was discussed between Deputy Doherty and a senior Garda officer with responsibility for security. Deputy Doherty, I am informed, agreed to the erection of security fencing as proposed, except along certain boundary lines, where he objected to it on the grounds that it would be unsightly and would obstruct the view from his residence.
At the time, a boundary wall at the residence, some four feet high, was already being built by a local contractor at Deputy Doherty's own expense. According to the Garda Síochána, Deputy Doherty expressed the view that, in place of the security fence, the boundary wall under construction should be completed and that he would have no objection to this wall being raised to a height higher than originally planned, as a security measure, provided that it did not obstruct the view from the house. The Minister's wishes in this regard were conveyed orally to Office of Public Works officials. I am informed, it was decided that the partially-built wall should be completed at public expense, presumably as part of the protection measures. The contract for this work provided for the erection of a wrought iron railing on part of the wall, when completed, but this part of the project did not proceed as the need for it ceased following the change of Government in December 1982.
It was intended also to provide entrance gates. These, as I mentioned, were ordered by the Office of Public Works at a cost of £450 but their erection was not proceeded with, again as a result of the altered position following the change of Government.
Part 1 of the question by Deputy Doherty asks specifically on whose authority a decision was taken to undertake certain works. There is no record in my Department which enables me to answer that question unequivocally nor would it be expected that such a record would be in my Department. As I have stated, my Department do not become involved in the details of matters such as I have described. It appears, however, that the decisions taken in relation to these matters were arrived at as a result of oral discussions and understandings in which Deputy Doherty and Garda and Office of Public Works personnel participated at different times, possibly on a number of different occasions. So far as I am aware no record exists which would enable this part of the question to be answered more precisely.
Part 3 of the question by Deputy Doherty asks whether he himself requested or demanded that any of the work described, or any part of it, be undertaken. Garda reports indicate that Deputy Doherty participated in discussions that led to decisions in relation to what was to be done. The only additional information I am in a position to give in relation to this matter is that a communication from the Garda Síochána to my Department in July 1982 stated that Deputy Doherty had expressed concern about the safety of his wife and family to the then Assistant Commissioner in charge of security and had requested that first-class security measures be provided at his home.
