Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Taoiseach has answered the question in part. What criteria would he regard as appropriate in determining where Cabinet meetings would be held outside the city of Dublin? Would he not accept there is a view that these meetings are used in a party political way rather than in a Cabinet or governmental way as the publicity generated is intended to reflect well on the Government parties? Is this an appropriate use of public moneys? I do not regard it as so. These eight excursions by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats into the provinces have been financed by public money, unlike the visit of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party to Ballyconnell in my constituency and that of the Ceann Comhairle, to which it is very welcome, which was at the party's own expense.

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