Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

When a Minister travels abroad on behalf of his or her Department, the position is well known, transparent and open to scrutiny. It appears from the investigations into FÁS that the same does not apply there. If a Minister accepts a trip or hospitality from a State agency, there does not seem to be the same level of awareness as if the Minister travels on behalf of his or her Department. For example, if the Minister for Foreign Affairs were to travel to some country at the invitation of a State agency as distinct from the Department of Foreign Affairs, that would not show up in the same way. Is the Taoiseach happy about that? What safeguards are being put in place to ensure that there is absolute transparency about such trips?

I accept the Taoiseach's bona fides in wanting to do things in the public interest here but I find it incredible that, because of the constraints arising from the Abbeylara case, the Committee of Public Accounts is unable to subpoena witnesses who have clear information about elements of this case. That is not in the public interest. We should be able either to write legislation within the context of the Abbeylara finding or have a referendum to allow the Oireachtas deal with these persons in semi-State agencies or whatever part of Government applies, when the need arises.

When I asked the Taoiseach last June about FÁS, he said that he held the then chief executive in the highest regard and would defend his integrity at all times. Is the Taoiseach happy that since that time structures have been put in place which allow for oversight of hospitality extended to Ministers within agencies such as FÁS for instance?

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