Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

When was the liaison officer appointed? The position is not one traditionally associated with the Office of the Attorney General. Was such a person in place during the term of office of the current attorney's predecessor? Admittedly, the previous attorney would have required a great deal of monitoring as he had a number of other jobs. Did he have the benefit of such a person or did this position arise from a failure to monitor the then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Woods, when he agreed a deal which exposed the State to extraordinary potential costs, computed by the Comptroller and Auditor General to reach approximately €1 billion?

Is it that type of breakdown between the Office of the Attorney General and a line Minister that has led to this appointment or was that a contrived breakdown of communications involving the then Attorney General who said he had been excluded in that regard? Is this appointment designed to mend the bridges in that regard for the future?

See this speech in context