Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

It is unthinkable that we should embark upon a very inadequate and abridged debate, extracted under pressure from the Taoiseach and providing for contributions of only 15 minutes, on a matter of this significance. The Tánaiste suggests that we should be further blindfolded by our not having the opportunity to read the contents of the missing file, a copy of which has now been discovered in the Department. Does she intend to have the contents of that file distributed to us?

As with so many other matters in the realm of political accountability, it is unbelievable that such a file would not have been seen by a Minister with any kind of hands-on approach to his job. Mr. Kelly tells us it was observed in the outer office of the Minister. Will the Tánaiste assure the House that we will have an opportunity to read the file concerned between now and the taking of the statements, such as they are, at 1.30 p.m.?

While making this assurance she might also comment on Mr. Travers's comment, in page 54 of the report, that the documents she referred to the Attorney General were essentially the same documents that went missing earlier. This must mean Mr. Travers had seen them. I do not know why they do not form an appendix to the report. In any event, we cannot embark on statements on a matter with such grave ramifications for the taxpayer without our seeing the missing file. I presume the Tánaiste will commit, as I believe the Taoiseach did eventually yesterday, to allowing a proper debate on the ramifications of this matter as soon as this House resumes after its recess, or as early as possible thereafter. Such a debate would address the relationship between Ministers and civil servants, the conduct in respect of this matter, the implications for the taxpayer and the terms of any redress scheme the Tánaiste proposes to introduce. The opportunity we have today very much represents an inadequate and abridged opportunity for statements.

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