asked the Taoiseach if he will state in respect of visits abroad by himself and the Ministers of State attached to his Department between 1 March and 20 March, on business other than official EEC business, by whom they were accompanied on each such visit; and the cost to the State, including air fare, accommodation and expenses of each such person.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ministerial Visits Abroad.
2.
I have already given details, in reply to a Parliamentary Question on 13 March by Deputy Gene Fitzgerald, of the official visits to the United States by myself and my wife (from 9 to 16 March) at the invitation of President Reagan and by the Government Chief Whip, Mr. Seán Barrett, TD, (from 15 to 20 March).
The officials who accompanied me to the United States included the Secretary to the Government, the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Government Press Secretary, a Principal in my Department, a Counsellor from the Department of Foreign Affairs and my Private Secretary. The Government Chief Whip was accompanied by his Private Secretary.
Details of the costs involved have not yet been finalised.
I put down this question to the Taoiseach and to each Member of the Government. I protest against the way that it has been transferred to each Minister.
A question please, Deputy.
Did the Taoiseach as head of the Government or the Government authorise each of these visits by Ministers or Ministers of State? When such matters were considered was he or the Government aware of the purpose of each visit or did Ministers undertake visits independently without consulting the Taoiseach?
All such visits are authorised by the Government and are all matters that come under my personal purview.
Is the Taoiseach satisfied that the visits for the period in question were reasonable and effective in terms of the purpose of the visit and the outcome? If they were undertaken as industrial promotion efforts can the Taoiseach give an indication of any consultations which took place or any successes which followed any such industrial promotion activities?
I am satisfied that the visits in question were worthwhile and effective.
The Taoiseach will obviously rely on a very short, terse statement like that. However, he will not be unaware of the degree of interest nationally in trying to acertain the purpose, intention and effectiveness of the whole range of visits by Ministers and Ministers of State. Can he not say to the House and the public that each such visit was fully considered and examined as to its purpose, cost and likely result and that we will have a report on the results of these visits to justify their enormous expense?
The visits were well justified and well worthwhile in presenting Government policies in the United States, Australia and Britain and in seeking investment, trade and tourism for this country. I am satisfied that the campaign which we undertook at this time of year was well worth while. The Opposition are not helping themselves much by carping at the efforts being made by this Government in the interest of this country.
We will leave to judgment who is helping whom. Our role here is to try to ascertain——
A question, please.
When the Taoiseach makes a comment about whether we are helping I think I have a right to reply. In so far as the Taoiseach has not indicated the cost of the visits in terms of all the officials who accompanied him, I would like him to indicate that he will as soon as possible, not just in respect of himself but of each of the Ministers and Ministers of State, their officials and any other advisers or public relations officers who went with them, ensure that that cost will be indicated here to the House as quickly as possible. It is now known and should be available to the House at this stage.
That information is always available to the House as soon as it has been compiled and, in reply to questions by Deputies on any side of the House, that information will be made available as soon as it is ready.
If I put a question to the Taoiseach and the Ministers, will the Taoiseach then give me the information as to the costs of these visits?
Of course that information is made available to any Deputy who wishes to have it when it is available. That has been the universal practice in this House. Because the information is not yet available in detail, I am not prepared to give estimated or inaccurate information to this House.
Could the Taoiseach inform the House as to the number of Ministers, Ministers of State and public officials who were abroad on public business last week?
No, Sir. That is a separate question and I have not got those details in front of me.
It is the question I asked.
Did the Taoiseach not already inform the House that he authorised each of these visits? Surely he knows how many he authorised.
I have not got that information in front of me and it does not arise on the question.
Is the Taoiseach embarrassed at the number?
I will go away and count the officials for the Deputy.
(Interruptions.)
There are 216,000 unemployed people in this country.
I was castigated last Thursday by the Deputy's colleague for not going abroad.
(Interruptions.)
I must have order.
On a point of fact, I want to ask the Taoiseach, who has just now indicated that that was not the question that was asked, is he not aware that the question that I submitted to him, and to him alone, was in respect of himself and every other Minister who travelled in the period? Is that not the very question that Deputy Molloy is now pursuing and the Taoiseach insists that is not the question that was submitted?
No. It is not the question before me. The question was submitted in accordance with normal practice. The relevant parts of the question relating to individual Ministers has been transferred to them to answer, as has always been the practice in this House.
The Taoiseach transferred the question to other Ministers. He cannot now say that it was not the question that was asked. It was he who transferred the question.
I did not say that.
(Interruptions.)