Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----as part of the Estimate. It is listed as a Vote under my Department, as opposed to the other Departments the Deputy has just listed, because it is possible that a number of other Departments could make a request to use that fund during the year.

There has been a long-standing tradition, as the Deputy has just said, that we never comment on its use. It is the only money on which the Dáil makes a decision in respect of which we ask the Oireachtas not to enquire into the detail. This is because it pertains to issues relating to the use of money that is important to our State and its security. I do, however, want to emphasise to the Deputy that there are procedures in place in relation to it. The Comptroller and Auditor General plays a role in relation to it. That role is an auditing one.

It is very different from the role that happens in the use of taxpayers' money in the provision of other services. What happens there is that a Minister provides a certificate. The Comptroller and Auditor General looks at that certificate to deem it is correct and then the Secretary General plays an overall financial control role with it.

If the Deputy looks at the tens of billions of euro we are making decisions on, this is the only amount of money which we respectfully ask the Oireachtas to treat in a different way. This is for reasons that the Oireachtas has understood over many decades. While I accept the Deputy's disquiet as a parliamentarian that I cannot tell him what exactly the money is used for, I will ask him to accept the tradition and my word that it is used in a way that is appropriate but for reasons we cannot comment on publicly.

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