Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

There are three ways we can find out about the Taoiseach's communications unit — Question Time, parliamentary questions and freedom of information requests.

Three times I asked the Taoiseach in a parliamentary question if the communications unit was aware of the stories as reported in the Irish Examiner and the Irish Independent on 13 June 2007. Three times in replies the Taoiseach refused to answer the question.

Three times the parliamentary question was forwarded to the Department of Transport. The reply sent to me asked if the communications unit of the Department of Transport ever noted the story, a question I never asked. I was informed that it never had and does not have such a unit. There is an issue of due process, knowledge and treating Members with respect. The Taoiseach spoke of treating civil servants with respect, with which I agree. However, Members are entitled to key and particular information.

The Taoiseach's reply also refused to answer the other part of my parliamentary question — to whom are these topics circulated. I want a full list of civil servants who receive this information. We spend €350,000 per annum paying the unit to do this job.

The Secretary General of the Department of Transport prepared a report which contains a comment from an Irish Examiner story on 13 June. Where did she get it? The communications unit did not see this story or summarise any story from the Irish Examiner for 13 June 2007. The Department of Transport informs me it has no communications unit. Where in the name of God did this come from?

The Taoiseach's communications policy is an absolute and disgraceful mess. Members cannot get an answer to a parliamentary question, even when it is tabled three times. It is not good enough to treat us with such absolute contempt. To whom are those documents circulated?

See this speech in context