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Dáil Éireann - Volume 37 - 25 March, 1931 Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Challenging of Deputies by Sentries at Leinster House. Pádráig O hOgáin Pádráig O hOgáin 2010 Pádráig O hOgáin (An Clár) asked the Minister for Defence if he will state if his Department issued instructions to sentries to challenge Deputies [2010] entering Leinster House on St. Patrick's Day after nightfall; if he will also state what purpose such challenge is expected to serve, inasmuch as the military policeman at the outer gate will not give admission to anyone not known to him, and the sentry, immediately outside the building, has no means of knowing whether the information given to him by the person challenged is correct or not. Minister for Defence (Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald) Desmond FitzGerald Minister for Defence (Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald): Regulations drawn up by the authorities responsible for the safety of the block of buildings including Government Buildings and Leinster House have been framed so as to cause the least inconvenience to members of the Oireachtas while in session. As the Dáil was not sitting on St. Patrick's Day, the challenge of the sentry was made in accordance with standing instructions. Mr. Hogan Mr. Hogan Mr. Hogan: Will the Minister answer the latter part of my question as to what purpose such challenge is expected to serve inasmuch as a Deputy has to pass an armed guard at the gate after the locked gate is opened? He has to be scrutinised and recognised and then the sentry has no means of recognising whether he is the man he claims to be. He comes on. He is challenged and he is invited to come forward to be recognised. The sentry has no means whatever of recognising the man; he does not know who he is. Will the Minister state what purpose is served by the challenge after the person passes the armed policeman at the gate? Mr. Fitzgerald Mr. Fitzgerald Mr. Fitzgerald: I do not propose to go into the matter. As far as I understand the Deputy is speaking about a day when the House was not in session. As responsibility is given for the protection of these buildings what is an adequate means of protection must be maintained; that includes the sentry. Mr. Hogan Mr. Hogan 2011 Mr. Hogan: The Minister is evading the question. The Deputy at the outer gate has to be scrutinised by the policeman who is armed. He is challenged thirty yards further on—he is asked “who goes there” and says “so and [2011] so.” Then he is told to advance to be recognised. I was told to advance to be recognised. I told him who I was. About ten yards further, in the dark, he said “Advance Deputy Hogan.” He did not know who it was. What purpose is served by being challenged and being asked to advance to be recognised seeing that one has to pass the scrutiny of the policeman at the outer gate? Mr. Fitzgerald Mr. Fitzgerald Mr. Fitzgerald: The Deputy is playing upon a form of words. We do not consider whether the Deputy and the authorities involved are in agreement as to what is adequate protection. Our ideas of adequate protection are not what the Deputy's are. Mr. Hogan Mr. Hogan Mr. Hogan: Does the Minister consider it adequate protection for anyone to say he is a Deputy in this House when the sentry has no means of knowing whether he is or not? Mr. Davin Mr. Davin Mr. Davin: He must have extraordinary eyesight. Dáil Éireann 37 Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. Challenging of Deputies by Sentries at Leinster House. Questions 19310325
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