It's getting harder to ask questions, says Mark Brennock, ChiefPolitical Correspondent
The Coalition's progress report on its first year in office was to be its response to the repeated allegations of broken promises. However, the manner of its publication yesterday led reporters from all main newspapers and broadcasting organisations to complain that an attempt was being made to prevent them from questioning the Taoiseach and Tánaiste adequately on the issue.
Media organisations were told on Monday that there would be a "photo opportunity" yesterday morning at which the Taoiseach and Tánaiste would "launch" the Government's analysis of its own performance.
Billing such an event as a "photo opportunity" is a mechanism to tell reporters who might want to ask questions that none will be taken.
However at around 9. 15 a.m. yesterday, less than two hours before this event, the Government Information Service sent a text message to the mobile phones of all political journalists. "Taoiseach and Tánaiste will launch Govt Progress Report, on Agreed Programme at 11 a.m. TODAY, Govt Buildings." This was unusually short notice for the launch of a significant pre-prepared document.
However having invited political journalists, Government Information Service staff initially told them that the Taoiseach and Tánaiste would take no questions. Rather they would confine themselves to standing behind lecterns in the hall of Government Buildings and reciting prepared scripts.
Reporters arriving for the event protested to the Government press staff. The issue of whether the Government had fulfilled its promises has been the subject of political contention and public debate in recent weeks.
Yet the Coalition was now going to present a lengthy defence of its position to the press - and seek to have it widely broadcast and reported by the media - without giving reporters the usual opportunity to ask questions.
After some consultations reporters were told that they would now take questions after all, limited to three in number. These questions would have to be based only on the document. This densely typed 80-page document was distributed to reporters five minutes before the "launch" was to take place, giving them no opportunity to read it beforehand.
In the event Mr Ahern and Ms Harney took four questions from journalists.
Government sources said yesterday that while the event had initially been intended as a "photo opportunity", it was decided on reflection yesterday morning to invite reporters. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste had agreed to answer questions when they were told the reporters were complaining, the sources said.