Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

There are four questions about the nature of the agreement made between the Government and four Independent Deputies, but the Taoiseach has not referred to the nature of that agreement or explained what those agreements mean.

From July 2003, the code of conduct makes it clear that office holders are accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas and in so far as is possible they are compelled to give accurate and truthful information when accounting to the House. It is clear therefore that office holders should be judicious in the use of public resources and facilities and that these should be used in a way that provides the public with value for money. The code also makes certain stipulations for representations made and received by office holders. These are aimed at ensuring responses sought or given to representations are in keeping with responses that would be given to the Houses of the Oireachtas generally. This is to prevent preferential treatment.

Does the Taoiseach agree that the persistent refusal to detail the nature of the agreements reached with Independent Members is inconsistent with the requirements of the code of conduct of office holders as published in July 2003? In the context of the arrangements which involve or are likely to involve the expenditure of public funds, is there a justification to claim that they are exempt from review because they are political agreements? In other words, if the Taoiseach has decided to give Deputy X a guarantee of some infrastructure in a constituency, can he claim that is a political agreement and therefore not subject to review of the national spatial strategy or whatever? At best, these could be described as political agreements designed to involve the expenditure of public moneys in a particular way and, as such, they should be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

I saw the bottom of a list from one of these Deputies on television. I do not have a clue what is in the agreement, nor, I suppose, does anyone else. In terms of the code of conduct published by the Government for office holders, is it not inconsistent to have secrecy about arrangements made between the Taoiseach, on behalf of the Government, and Independent Deputies?

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