I acknowledge receipt of information sought in my Parliamentary Question No. 401 of 29 September which I received from the Minister for Finance, dated 4 October 1999. I thank the Minister for Finance and the Secretary General of his Department for the assistance, co-operation and courtesy they afforded me with respect to this matter. They have acted with the utmost probity at all times.
However, having examined the information supplied and various correspondence on the matter, I would appreciate it if the Minister of State would address the following points with respect to the file outlining the facts surrounding the disposal of 93 Merrion Square to the Irish Intercontinental Bank in 1987. In a letter to the Minister for Finance from the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, dated 4 October 1999, Deputy Cullen states in the second paragraph;
I am entirely satisfied that I and my office acted with propriety at all stages. No verbal or written communication was issued to anyone outside appropriate official contacts.
Does this include or exclude the Ireland on Sunday journalist, Mairead Carey, who visited the Office of Public Works at 51, St. Stephen's Green on the afternoon of Friday, 1 October 1999 to read the file on 93 Merrion Square in the presence of two Office of Public Works officials and what definition does the Minister of State's Department give to “appropriate official contacts“? Was there a requirement for Ms Carey, under the Freedom of Information Act, to apply for the information in writing and, if so, was this done and at what time?
With respect to the other matters raised in the correspondence, what was the extent of the information brought to the attention of the Taoiseach's office? Was the relevant file or parts thereof sent to the Taoiseach's office? If so, when was it sent and how long did it remain there? To whom in the Taoiseach's office was the information addressed? How was it delivered and by whom and to whom was it delivered? Who made the media queries to the Department of the Taoiseach? How were these queries made? Who responded to them? Could the Minister of State give the name of the official who responded to them? What was contained in the response?
Most importantly, did the person who gave the briefing feel it necessary, at a later date, to tell that person or persons briefed to go to the Office of Public Works to look at information that they may already have seen somewhere in the Taoiseach's office in order to cover their tracks? Who in the Taoiseach's office was aware of the information? Why was the information involved in this parliamentary question sent to an official who was unfamiliar with the procedure of parliamen tary questions, as stated by the Taoiseach on today's Order of Business?
If the Minister of State cannot answer all my queries this evening, I would be grateful if he would furnish me with the answers at a later date. Does the Minister of State's Department and the Government intend to issue a directive to Members of the Oireachtas and journalists outlining the circumstances when they can have immediate access to Department files and what procedures need to be followed?
I simply wish to get to the truth of this sordid affair.