Dáil debates

Wednesday, 4 October 2006

10:30 am

Photo of Bertie AhernBertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

If somebody is contracted to a job and takes annual leave, outside of that they are entitled to do what they will, once it is within the law. They have to take annual leave, however, and cannot be involved in their day-to-day advisers' work during an election campaign when they are working on a party political basis. That is the distinction, so if they are working on a party political campaign they take their holidays. During the last election some of my staff worked on in the Department while others took their annual leave. It is a clear procedure and has been there for a long time. It works well and I do not think there is any room for any abuse in that. If somebody takes their annual leave, what they do during that time is not a matter for any of us. They could be down saving the hay or canvassing. That is not a matter for us.

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