Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I can understand why a Minister would put information out under the Official Secrets Act, but he has got into trouble from some quarters owing to the manner in which he released the information. Would he look at the feasibility of once a year briefing the House and taking questions and answers on matters that need to be made public?

The Minister outlined the difficulty regarding the Colombia three, about which I am confused. Was it not this Government that put up money to get them out on bail? How was taxpayers' money used to get these people out on bail if that is the case? From where did the pressure come? Between the time the appeal began and the final judgment occurred, why did the Government not enter into talks to establish an extradition treaty with Colombia? That never happened.

I listened to Mr. John O'Connor of An Bord Pleanála at a committee when he spoke about its inquiry into the Rossport pipeline. He stated that there was a certain amount of insinuation which was unjustified. He dealt with it in detail. The insinuation in the CPI document was unfounded. An inference was drawn about meetings with the Government which incorrectly portrayed the situation.

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