Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

Yes, but I must be able to access the information in order to respond accurately to Members. Neither I nor my colleagues have all the information in our heads. In recent weeks, and in preparation for today in particular, we pulled out all the stops to obtain information. In the current unusual situation even very senior people are involved in the industrial action. In order to provide up-to-date information to the Oireachtas, data must be obtained on a real-time basis. It was not possible to do that in the case of many of the questions we are discussing today, but we have done our best. What we are experiencing is no different to what is happening in other Departments.

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