Vol. 360 No. 2
asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that the reason the new visitors' entrance to the Public Gallery in Dáil Éireann is not in use in because of staff shortages arising from the Government's embargo on recruitment; if, in view of the fact that the construction of the entrance cost almost a quarter of a million pounds, he will authorise the recruitment of additional staff to cover it; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
36.
asked the Minister for Finance the approximate number of people who annually visit Dáil Éireann; and when it is envisaged that the visitors' entrance will be opened.
I propose to take Questions Numbers 8 and 36 together. Two ushers would be required to man the new visitors' entrance but owing to security and other duties which the usher staff are required to undertake in the Leinster House complex, particularly on sitting days, it is not possible to provide two ushers from the existing staff.
The Department of the Public Service are examining a request from the Ceann Comhairle for the provision of extra usher staff.
Statistics are not maintained on the number of visitors to Dáil Éireann. On sitting days the number of visitors to the Dáil Public Gallery fluctuates between 50 and 1,000
The Minister has confirmed what I suspected, that the entrance remains closed because of a shortage of staff. Could the Minister indicate why permission was given for expenditure of £250,000 on this new entrance without confirming whether new staff could be appointed?
Much as I would like to discuss the matter with the Deputy, I am afraid that the allocation of staff to the various functions to be carried out in the House is not a matter for me, but for the House. However, as I said, the Ceann Comhairle has requested sanction from the Department of the Public Service for a number of extra usher posts, including that required in order to provide manning for the new entrance. Of course, I cannot say what the outcome of that examination will be.
We are all aware that there has been an increase in security in the House in recent weeks. Could the Minister confirm that the expenditure on gardaí, etc. would not have been necessary to such an extent if the new entrance had been opened?
That is not a question that I can properly answer; it is a matter for the House.
The Minister cannot escape responsibility for this because he sanctioned the money for the construction of this new entrance at enormous cost. When that was being done, surely his Department would have looked at the question of providing staff to man the entrance? Did they hand out the money blindly, not knowing if the entrance could be used?
As I said, the allocation of staff for the different functions which the House requires the staff to carry out is a matter for the authorities of the House and not for me.
But the Minister has responsibility——
This is repetition.
They created a white elephant.
Contrary to what appears to be a popular belief inside and outside the House, neither I nor any of my predecessors — nor successors, I hope — is particularly interested in spending his time looking in detail at how every penny is spent by every State agency. I assure the House that I do not spend a large part of my time second guessing the organisation of staff in this House.
The Minister indicated that the staffing of the House is a matter for the authority of the House. If the authority decide that additional staff is required for the purpose outlined in the original question will the Minister permit the recruitment of additional personnel?
That is what I would call a googly question ——
What sort of question is that?
The disposition of the staff of the House is a matter for the House within the expenditure limits sanctioned by the House when it passes the Estimates. Requests for extra staff are a matter in the first instance to be discussed by the House with the Department of the Public Service and those discussions are going on at present.
The Minister's earlier reply to the effect that he cannot be expected to look at all expenditure seems to give the impression that this money was spent without his knowledge. Surely it is an extraordinary admission from the Minister for Finance that he does not look into expenditure of the sum of £250,000? He must have known what was going on and did he not ask the Minister for the Public Service to sanction the appointment of staff? Is the Minister aware that the money was being spent on this new entrance?
The answer to the last part of the question is yes. As to the rest of it, the disposition of the staff of the House is a matter for the authorities of the House.
