Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The recommendation, the memorandum to Government and consideration of the issue by Government was done in the normal way. Deputy Ó Feargháil will be quite well aware of the doctrine of Cabinet confidentiality with which we all are obliged to comply. The issue was considered by the Government in the normal way.

As the Minister concerned, I take political responsibility for making the recommendation. The decision has been made and it will not be reversed. I made it clear at the time the decision was announced that when financial circumstances would improve, we could revisit the issue as we will be reviewing our diplomatic missions in any event in the light of improving financial circumstances.

On the issue of the use of Villa Spada and what physical arrangements can be made there, of course, the ambassador and Secretary General of the Department, Mr. David Cooney, will discuss all of those issues with the Vatican authorities.

I welcome always the advice of former diplomats. In one case, we are talking about a former diplomat who resigned from the diplomatic service a quarter of a century ago. There is, I am sure Deputy Ó Feargháil will appreciate, a necessity in any event for us to modernise our diplomacy and the way in which we do our business. The circumstances of today are entirely different from what they were a quarter of a century ago but I value the advice that is given from time to time by former diplomats.

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