Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

193. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his officials met with members of a political party (details supplied) in the past ten days; if he sanctioned this meeting; the reason this meeting took place; if he will provide this Deputy with minutes of the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49301/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, the Taoiseach has initiated a process with the Leader of Fianna Fáil to review the Confidence and Supply Agreement which facilitates the operation of the current Fine Gael led minority Government.

Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil  have appointed teams of negotiators and the review is ongoing. In that context, the Taoiseach has requested that factual briefing be provided by the Civil Service on specific issues. This involves officials providing both written and oral briefing to the respective negotiating teams. The negotiating teams have undertaken to ensure that any briefings will be treated as confidential. Any briefings being provided by officials are undertaken in consultation with the Minister in charge of the Department.

In this context, officials from the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform met the negotiating teams last week to brief them on relevant issues.