Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The strategy refers to the need for citizen-focused communication. In that context I raise the case of Frank Mulcahy. As the Taoiseach will know, he was the CEO of Irish Small and Medium Employers and a victim of an incredible campaign to blacken his name by people wrongly suggesting that he was involved in fraud. The Taoiseach was the Minister in the relevant Department at the time. He stated in reply to a question from Ciarán Cuffe in November 2004: "I am satisfied that no evidence or documents relevant to the allegations made by the organisation were withheld." The Taoiseach, then Minister, subsequently closed the file. That statement was incorrect. I raise the matter now to give the Taoiseach an opportunity to correct the record. I will list just some of the very many documents which were withheld: the Department's note to file, dated 26 April 1999; the memo to the Minister, dated 5 March 1999; the interdepartmental memo, dated March 2002; the Department's small business operational programme closure report 2002; and the Arthur Anderson report of March 1998. I could go on and on. Multiple documents, evidence, were withheld. I ask the Taoiseach to correct the record.

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