Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of briefings given in each of the years 2004, 2005 and to date in 2006 by officials in his Department to Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas, other than those given at meetings of Committees of the Houses; the number of these that related to each political party; the number that were delivered to Members of more than one party at a time; the number of these that took place in locations other than Leinster House and his Department's offices on Kildare Street; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23497/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I have sought clarification from the Deputy's Office and understand the information he requires relates solely to oral briefings, made in person, by officials of my Department. I have also confined my response to briefings made by my Department's Officials to members of the Oireachtas other than myself and the two Ministers of State at my Department.

In May 2005, officials of my Department attended two briefings which were given to opposition party members on the proposed Landlord & Tenant Bill. The first briefing was held with Fine Gael & Sinn Féin and the second briefing was held with Fine Gael, Labour, the Green Party and Sinn Féin. Both briefings were held in my Dáil Office.

In November 2005, an official of my Department attended a meeting with the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party. I requested the official in question to attend the meeting with me in order to provide clarification on technical aspects of my Department's report on the Groceries Order. The briefing was held in Leinster House.