asked the Taoiseach his views on the practice being indulged in by certain Ministers of State of writing letters to every name on voters' registers in areas informing them of the allocations of grants from the national lottery and in some cases, sending six similar letters or more to each house; in respect of each Department the total number of such letters sent; the cost involved; the steps, if any, he will take to stop this practice; and if he will specifically investigate letters sent out in County Galway.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Ministerial Letters on National Lottery Grant Allocations.
1.
I would regard the use to which Minister of State put the facilities provided to enable them to discharge the duties of their office as a matter primarily for the Ministers of State concerned, subject to the normal system of checks and controls by or under the authority of the Oireachtas. None of the Ministers of State at my Department followed the practice mentioned by the Deputy. Should the Deputy require information in regard to another Department, he should address his question to the relevant Minister.
I did not hear the Taoiseach who spoke in a very low voice. Did the Taoiseach say that none of his Ministers of State were indugling in the practice?
I said that none of the Ministers of State at my Department indulge in the practice.
Is there a reason why the Taoiseach chose to single out the two Ministers of State in his Department to the exclusion of all the other Ministers of State? Surely, as Taoiseach, he has responsibility to answer for all of them?
It is well established practice and it is probably statutorily correct having regard to matters of this kind, that questions should be addressed directly to the Ministers in charge of the Departments concerned.
The question asks the Taoiseach's views on this practice. Does the Taoiseach condone this practice?
I have given my view very clearly. I regard the use to which Ministers of State put the facilities provided to enable them to discharge the duties of their office as a matter primarily for the Ministers of State concerned, subject to the normal system of checks and controls by or under the authority of the Oireachtas. That is my view.
Question No. 2, please.
Is it not true that the Houses of the Oireachts do not have any direct control over the issuing of post from Ministers' offices? Is the Taoiseach aware that Ministers as well as Ministers of State are also known to be involved in this practice?
The Deputy is extending the scope of his question.
I have no intention of engaging in this type of petty politics.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that, if the practice as outlined by Deputy Molloy is being followed, it is taking away from the effectiveness of the national lottery and is giving the impression that a Minister of State or Ministers of State are the source of these funds rather than the people contributing by buying national lottery tickets, and would he not agree that that is liable to damage the national lottery rather than be of any advantage?
I would draw Deputy Dukes' attention to the fact that on two specific occasions I deliberately stated that the funds which were being allocated to various desirable social and cultural purposes were not being so distributed from the Government but were, in fact, coming directly from the people who supported the national lottery.
That is not what the letters say when they tumble in through the letter boxes.
The next question, please.
Furthermore, I paid tribute to my predecessors who founded the national lottery.
Bravo, but that is not what it says in the letters.
(Interruptions.)
B'fhéidir go mbeidh gá ann dul ar ais.