Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Will the Taoiseach elaborate on the changes — I think I heard him say changes — to the provisions for public advertising? I know what he is saying when he argues that sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between what is being promoted and who is doing the promoting. However, I would not want the Taoiseach to get away with too much innocence here. I know his innocent persona has served him well and it probably is because he is as innocent as the new-born babe but he will remember that, coming up to the previous general election, a dozen or more of his Ministers contrived to find public information announcements that they had to communicate to the people, by radio advertisements, in newspapers and so forth. We all know, whatever about the innocence affected in this House, that the purpose was to promote the Ministers and the Government, not to disseminate public information. What changes will the Taoiseach be making in this area, will they be laid before the House and when will we be able to examine them?

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