Bertie Ahern
Ceist:4 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach the powers, if any, of the Attorney General which remain revoked by him. [6989/96]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers - Attorney General's Powers.
The answer is none. On 23 May 1995, I revoked the powers delegated in 1957 to the Attorney General under the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956. On 1 June 1995, I again delegated the powers to the Attorney General. As I informed the Deputy in reply to a parliamentary question on 13 June 1995, I arranged to have copies of the latter Instrument placed in the Oireachtas Library at the time.
Is the Taoiseach saying the Attorney General faces no further potential conflicts of interest arising from his previous career as a senior council?
No, not at all. Conflicts of interest are inherent in the position of any Attorney General who has previously practised as a barrister and was active in cases to which the State was a party. There are several such cases but there is no need for me to statutorily revoke any powers for that to be dealt with. I answered questions several times in the House outlining the formal procedures in place where the State needs advice or assistance in any matters where the Attorney General is conflicted, because of his previous work. They are either dealt with by the senior legal assistant, acting apart from the Attorney General and without consultation with the Attorney General, or where the senior legal assistant determines that he needs outside legal advice, such outside legal advice is taken. There are formal arrangements for dealing with this situation which is inherent in the work of any Attorney General who has had a previously active practice at the Bar.
That concludes questions to the Taoiseach for today. We come to questions nominated for priority to the Minister for Justice, Question No. 10 please.