Síle de Valera
Ceist:13 Miss de Valera asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he has initiated any investigation into the leaking of the proposals for broadcasting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5762/97]
Other Questions. - Leaking of Broadcasting Proposals.
The Minister has not initiated any such investigation. He thought it better to concentrate his resources on the finalisation of his legislative proposals for Government. As these have been agreed by Government and published, the matter raised by the Deputy is, at this stage, primarily of historical interest only.
It is interesting to note I tabled this question to the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht some time ago when it was referred to the Department of the Taoiseach and it is now back on the Order Paper tabled to the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht. Why was the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht not prepared to take this question when it was first proposed and tabled to his Department? Will the Minister of State confirm if articles we read in the Irish Independent in December 1996 and in January 1997 and in a similar article published in The Irish Times about Government proposals for broadcasting were inspired leaks?
I do not know if I have anything to offer in addition to the original reply. These matters were agreed by the Government and published. The matter raised by the Deputy is, at this stage, primarily of historic interest.
I am not satisfied with the Minister of State's frivolous reply. I was amused to hear him say in his original reply that the Minister was so burdened by his legislative proposals. Everyone who considers his legislative performance to date in this House will note it is extremely poor and it could not have been that which prevented him from examining these serious leaks from his Department. That is why I asked if they were inspired or other types of leaks. I do not fault the media for printing interesting stories and I certainly will not put them under the microscope, but the Minister should be responsible for what happens in his Department. The Minister of State and the Minister should answer to the House rather than to the media. Will the Minister of State accept that the proper place for a discussion on legislation whether on broadcasting or on any other issue, should be this House rather than through inspired leaks or otherwise to the media?
I have never been involved in leaking information.
I am not accusing the Minister of State.
There is not any benefit to be gained from rehashing all this. If there was an investigation into leaking, it would involve newspapers and the Department and as the system is so convoluted I do not believe the Deputy would get a true answer about this.
Does the Minister of State believe in a very loose arrangement in his Department or does he blame his civil servants?
In this instance there was a programme of events in the Department and proposals were submitted to Government in November, something else happened in December and eventually they were published at the end of March. I am satisfied they are progressive proposals and deserve to be debated. They are what is at issue and to talk about leaks is to take one's eye off the ball.
The buck stops with the Minister.
The Deputy is concerned about the broadcasting legislation and that is what should be at issue, not spurious leaks or red herrings.
Why have there not been discussions on broadcasting in the House rather than Members having to read about these proposals through leaks to newspapers.
The Deputy has been given every chance to discuss broadcasting in this House.
We have not had a White Paper. We are still awaiting one. All we have are the heads of a Bill which have no legal standing.