Did the Taoiseach personally ask Mr. Duffy if he had any involvement whatsoever with NTL or is he relying solely on Mr. Duffy's public statement for his authority on that matter?

My adviser, Mr. Martin Mansergh, has raised all those questions with Mr. Duffy.

Given that Mr. Duffy was the Taoiseach's adviser, why did he not think it proper to speak to him personally?

I have spoken to him. I spoke to him on 4 June but I have not spoken to him since.

I know the Taoiseach has spoken to him but why did he not speak to him about this matter personally?

I listed all the questions I had to ask, they were put to him and he answered them. I want to thank him for his co-operation in answering.

Why did the Taoiseach not ask Mr. Duffy face to face if he had involvement with NTL?

I put all the questions to him which are required to be answered. I discussed this with him on 4 June and he answered every question I asked when I spoke to him on two or three occasions that evening. Since then the questions were put to him on my behalf and he answered them.

The Taoiseach did not ask him about his involvement with NTL and the House wants to know why.

I have answered that.

The Taoiseach has not.

I do not go around asking everyone everything.

More innuendo. The Deputy is full of innuendo.

I would not like to tell the Deputy what he is full of.

Will the Taoiseach outline to the House the times and content of the information he gave to the Tánaiste on this matter?

The Tánaiste was fully informed of everything I knew when I knew it.

Did the Tánaiste query the Taoiseach about why he did not personally interview Mr. Duffy about his involvement with NTL?

Deputy Bruton has barked up 50 trees and got nowhere. Deputy Owen has passed him a note to bark up another. There was no involvement by Mr. Duffy in NTL.