The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, in his formal reply to a series of special notice questions, admitted there had been "strains" between him and the Secretary General of the Department. .

The following is the full text of the reply:

Let me say at the outset that I would like to place on the record of the House that the last year has been one of great achievement in which the hard-working and dedicated officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs played a central role. I am extremely happy with the progress that has been made since coming into Government.

I would just like to mention a few of the areas in which they have been involved. Without their work there would have been no Good Friday agreement. A few months ago Ireland joined with seven other countries to bring forward a new initiative within the framework of nuclear disarmament. The ideas for that initiative emerged from within my Department. And my officials have also been intimately involved in the crucially important Agenda 2000 and EU enlargement negotiations.

As recently as last week I visited New York and Washington. In New York I spoke to the General Assembly and also had 25 meetings with individual foreign ministers. Among other things, I was pursuing the Government's desire to win a seat on the Security Council of the United Nations. In Washington I briefed the President's senior policy adviser on Northern Ireland on the latest developments in the peace process. These are but a few examples of how my Department and myself were able to represent very effectively Ireland's international interest during the last year.

This contradicts the assertions that there is a breakdown of relations between me and some of my most senior staff. It is true that there have been strains between the Secretary General and myself. Such strains can occur in any relationship. But I want to assure the House that I have very good relations with all the other senior staff in my Department and that I am in constant contact with the heads of the various divisions including Anglo-Irish, Economic, Political, Administration, Development Co-operation, and so on.

In relation to the matters that have been raised, I would like to clarify the issues. There are two issues involved: ambassadorial appointments and promotions within the Department.

Ambassadorial appointments are decided by the Government on the recommendation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is advised by the Secretary General. Nothing has changed in this respect, and all of the recent appointments were made on this basis.

As regards promotions: up to the coming into effect of the Public Service Management Act 1997 a Minister had ultimate responsibility for all promotions in his Department. The Public Service Management Act 1997 redefined the respective role of a Minister and a Secretary General in each Department. A Secretary General now has exclusive responsibility for promotions to a certain level (Assistant Principal). In exercising his powers under the Act, a Minister may give written instructions in respect of other promotions.

During this year the Secretary General recommended to me the promotion of six persons to counsellor and three persons to Assistant Secretary. I accepted all six recommendations on promotion to Counsellor. I also directed that two other First Secretaries be promoted to Counsellor. I accepted two of the three recommendations on promotion to Assistant Secretary and directed that another Counsellor be promoted to Assistant Secretary.

I want to emphasise to the House that these promotions were all decided by me in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, following recommendations made by the Secretary General. In the Department of Foreign Affairs the custom is that these recommendations follow from discussions in the Management Advisory Committee, whose function inter alia is to advise the Secretary General in these matters.

Four of the promotions to Counsellor arise from my decision to upgrade our representation in the United States to meet increasing demands resulting from the Northern Ireland peace process and from Ireland's economic profile in the United States. Another two arise from the decision taken in the light of the Good Friday agreement to open consulates in Edinburgh and Cardiff. These openings have, of course, led to improved career opportunities for the staff of the Department.

These are the basic facts. I welcome the concern expressed by deputies about the morale of officers in my Department. The fact is that very many of these officers have been at their current grades for a very long time. The vast majority of the 94 First Secretaries and 11 Assistant Principals are very capable of serving in a higher grade. The upgrading of the Consul General posts in the United States also provided a promotional outlet for some of these long-serving and dedicated officers. I am hoping to continue with this policy in order to provide further promotional outlets for the staff of the Department.

I should draw to the attention of the House that the Association of Higher Civil Servants wrote to the Secretary General in July saying that they warmly welcomed the personal initiative that I have taken to upgrade the Consul General posts in the United States. The Secretary General himself also wrote to me saying that it was a most positive development and that he and his colleagues on the MAC were most appreciative.

Deputies will be aware that appointments at senior level in the Department of Foreign Affairs are handled in a different way to those in most Departments in the Civil Service and are not done on the recommendations of the Top-Level Appointments Committee, TLAC. I should perhaps clarify in addition that such appointments do not involve the Civil Service Commission.

Discussions have been taking place on introducing the TLAC-type system in my Department. The Government agreed in April last that this should be positively explored, and there have been some consultations at senior official level. I am awaiting a progress report in this regard.

Finally, may I say that I am sure all deputies share my regret that the names of individual civil servants, all of whom have given long and outstanding service to the State, have been mentioned in the media in this matter.