Vol. 413 No. 9
10 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education if he will give details of the occasions when the approval of the Department of Finance was required for the purchase of a property in the Higher Education Authority sector using State funds voted to his Department in the years (1) 1987, (2) 1988, (3) 1989 and (4) 1990; if approval was granted in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Department of Finance sanction was required in 1990 for the allocation of funds, over and above the money voted in that year for capital works in the university sector for the purchase of Carysfort College by University College, Dublin. The sanction was duly given and the additional funds were subsequently voted by the Dáil. This was the only occasion in the years in question when such sanction was required.
Would the Minister inform the House whether, in relation to the purchase of Carysfort by UCD, any directive was given to the Department of Education or to the Department of Finance by the Taoiseach, and if any such directive was issued, what was the exact nature of the directive?
This has nothing to do with the question that was put down.
That is up to the Ceann Comhairle to decide.
I was not in the office at the time. I was not aware of it and I have not been informed of it.
Will the Minister reply to me in writing, having investigated the matter.
The Deputy is being mischievous rather than looking for facts.
I put a question to the Minister and he is accusing me of being mischievous. The Minister is entitled to give his opinion. I will ask him again: will he give me a written answer to that question, when he has had a chance to investigate the matter?
If the Deputy puts down a specific question on the matter it will be answered.
