Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Both my office and that of the Whip assist all Deputies on a daily or weekly basis. Deputy Sargent will appreciate that if I found someone helpful and constructive over five years, I would not just turn over the book and say the numbers are different and we are not interested any more. That is not the way I act because it is disrespectful. It is no more than that. The Deputies do not seek any great help or assistance. They might at times look for a meeting or deputation with Ministers, but others also do that every day in the House. I confirm that Deputy Cooper-Flynn is not one of the Deputies concerned. Any assistance does not bring an additional cost but comes within the ordinary work of the staff in the office.

In the last Dáil, on a daily basis one was asking Deputies to vote with the Government and to support legislation. Therefore, it was necessary for the working of Government in those arrangements to have quite close contact and briefing on the issues. We cannot expect people to vote without such briefings. They do not have the benefit of parliamentary parties like the rest of us to get these detailed briefings. The briefings were provided and it was right to provide them.

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