Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Yes. In the last set of questions I dealt with the fact that there are revised travel guidelines in place for the purpose of ensuring that things are done as one would expect. Not alone are facilities made available to the Government, but in certain circumstances they are made available to members of the Opposition where it is appropriate as well, and it is only right that this is the case. I do not know where the matter goes beyond that, only to say that everyone is mindful of the need to maintain public confidence. Ministers or office holders must go about their work in an appropriate way and be mindful of the expenditure that must be necessarily incurred, consistent with the effective discharge of official duties.

As the Deputy will be aware, in many cases transport arrangements in these locations are not made by the Ministers themselves, but by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Department has also been reminded of the need to recognise the circumstances in which the public purse is funding necessary expenditure in this area and it must be very mindful of all of this. I do not believe there is any issue between anyone in the House. This is an area of which we must be very mindful and careful and, at the same time, we must ensure that things are done appropriately and rightly.

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