Ahern defends Cullen on PR contracts

The Taoiseach defended the Minister for Transport following the two reports on the controversial public relations consultancies which were allocated to Ms Monica Leech.

"There is nothing to suggest that the Minister, Deputy Cullen, acted inappropriately in the matter in question," said Mr Ahern.

"The House knows that we drew up the terms of reference, and care was taken to ensure that nothing would be done to pre-empt any investigation the Standards in Public Office Commission might decide to carry out."

Mr Ahern said that, by and large, Mr Dermot Quigley had been asked to address the issues relating to the procurement process, and he had concentrated his inquiry on that area. "His report, which is in the public domain, shows that, while there are issues we must improve on in the procurement process, the Minister did nothing wrong."

Mr Ahern was replying to the Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, who referred to Mr Cullen as the "prodigal Minister".

Mr Sargent said he was not surprised the Standards in Public Office Commission had found no prima-facie case, given that the Quigley report was quite rushed in the sense that the Taoiseach asked for it to be back on his desk before the Dáil reconvened. "The Standards in Public Office Commission had a long debate on the issue, "I imagine the members did not all agree on the position, but the commission put a position into the public domain."

He asked Mr Ahern if he thought that the investigation carried out had been comprehensive.

"Is it acceptable, given that it was just dealing with procurement?

"It did not deal with other pertinent issues, such as whether a consultant should be able to conduct fundraising for a ministerial employer or some of the issues raised somewhat obliquely in the Quigley report," he added.

Mr Sargent said the Taoiseach should have concentrated on the commission putting in place regulations and criteria which would ensure it would know what it had to do and could do in its job.

Mr Ahern said the Government had agreed to incorporate guidelines into the Cabinet handbook. "These guidelines will apply, particularly in the PR or communications area, where there is a significant element of direct service to a minister, or where a minister suggests a name of a person or enterprise for a consultancy or contract." He said the question of whether somebody with a contract to a minister should be involved in fundraising was a wider area. "If anybody has a government contract, should he or she be debarred from political activity and debarred from a significant sector of the State?" he asked.