The Minister for Education has been given permission to make a personal explanation.
Personal Explanation by Minister.
Before the Minister commences perhaps the Chair would tell us the procedure to be followed.
In the case of a personal statement the procedure is that it is a short personal explanation relating to the matter concerned and there can be no debate on it. It is a personal explanation, not a statement.
I accept that and I understand Deputy Wilson may be involved in what the Minister is about to say. I take it he will have the opportunity in due course to make a personal statement on the matter if he so wishes?
If a request is received by me later in that regard I will consider it in the light of Standing Orders and of precedent.
I should like to make it clear that there is no discourtesy intended by Deputy Wilson by his not being here. He is in Cavan today where finally the foundation stone for Cavan hospital which was planned by my good self is about to be laid.
Deputy Wilson and myself.
During the debate on the Estimate for the Office of the Minister for Education yesterday, Deputy Wilson, who is a former Minister for Education and a member presently of the Front bench of Fianna Fáil, made the following statement:
There is sectarian advice from outside the civil service being brought into the Department of Education.
I called on the Deputy at the time to withdraw the remark but he did not do so. I repeated my request later and instead of withdrawing the remark he repeated it.
There is only one adviser in the Department of Education from outside the civil service and he is a Methodist. Deputy Wilson's remark can only have been meant to apply to him. I find it impossible to interpret his remarks as other than referring to Dr. Harris who is the special adviser. The words used by Deputy Wilson indicate a belief that an adviser who belongs to a minority religion must necessarily provide sectarian advice.
To put it at its mildest, this is a slur not only on Dr. Harris but on all members of minority religions in this State. I consider this, coming so soon after another incident in the House, a very distasteful incident. I want to see it rectified quickly and comprehensively. I have no intention, therefore, of elaborating on its wider implications.
I offer the Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Wilson an opportunity, which I am sure they would wish, of repairing as far as possible the damage which has been done.
The Minister mentioned my name in this connection. I want to make it clear that this is the first I have heard of this matter. Deputy Wilson spoke to me this morning and said he hoped to have an opportunity to give his point of view. He reminded me that the first time sectarian advice was mentioned in this House was by the Taoiseach.
I am not allowing a debate on this.
We reject any suggestion that there is any sectarian implication in anything said by Members on this side.
I reject the allegation made by the Leader of the Opposition that I have ever given sectarian advice. He knows that is not true.