Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The figures are not accurate. That is the problem. I will raise a further point, and I look forward to hearing the Minister's response on Home Sweet Home. For the second month in a row, a number of other Deputies and I were disappointed by the timing of the release of the figures. It is difficult not to draw the conclusion that, when the Minister releases figures on 30 December without any press release on the website or, as far as I know from speaking with some members of the media, issued to the press, it is an attempt to bury bad news. I am not accusing the Minister of that, but it is the impression given. During the week in question, two significant news stories were issued by the Department's press office that promoted the Department's good work. I had no difficulty with that, but we must ensure that data are released at a time when Deputies have an opportunity to scrutinise them and the media or the general public is not away on holidays just before New Year's Eve. To ensure that people do not get the impression that the Minister is trying to bury bad news, I am asking for a commitment that he will publish the figures earlier and preferably on Dáil sitting days or days on which we have the opportunity to scrutinise them adequately.

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