Thread - The #FrancesFitzgerald and #TerryProne emails. Terry Prone removes all references to official #garda statistics from a ministerial speech because they might turn out to be unreliable

The special adviser to #FrancesFitzgerald laments the quality of a draft speech she had sent to #TerryProne. Thanks her for "another masterpiece". This speech has been withheld from the FOI release as "private papers" of the former minister.

Sometimes the quality of the speeches she edited was much better. This one was “beautifully argued” and #FrancesFitzgerald was advised to “read it out loud at least twice” before delivery

For important statement on Cooke report into alleged bugging of Garda Ombudsman, #TerryProne made it “much tougher” and gave instructions for #FrancesFitzgerald to be “flat-handing the table on behalf of the citizen”

Asked for advice on an article #FrancesFitzgerald was writing in response to Mick Wallace criticism of Cooke report, #TerryProne said they should not be giving him any extra publicity

Special adviser to #FrancesFitzgerald looks for #TerryProne to sprinkle some “magic words” into a speech for summer school. Also says there’s been email issues:

Another one where #TerryProne has been “more ruthless” with speech than intended. Minister #FrancesFitzgerald advised not to “give a lecture”

One where #TerryProne advised #FrancesFitzgerald not to go “meddling in the innards of the gardai” for speech to the MacGill Summer School

Sometimes the instructions were very explicit. In this one #TerryProne suggests that #FrancesFitzgerald should at a key point in the speech use an “index finger wagged from side to side” for emphasis

This one posted without comment because I don’t know what background to it was

A radical rewrite of this speech because it was “too long” and why would those attending “give a toss” about the Department improving its processes

Not a fan of ampersands is #TerryProne

Minister #FrancesFitzgerald was giving speech in London in front of David Cameron. She felt speech “really needs a lift” and who better than #TerryProne to do that. A redaction on basis of personal information

Minister #FrancesFitzgerald gives her thoughts on what she wants said at Garda ceremony in Templemore. The “master” is asked for her input

In response to criticisms from Alan Shatter on delays to important legislation, #TerryProne suggests saying all the controversies surrounding former minister (Shatter) could be mentioned for having put a “speedbump” in its way

This speech edited to take “the self-congratulatory tone out of it”

For a speech in June 2015, Minister #FrancesFitzgerald was advised by #TerryProne to drop long list of legislation which will sound “unappealing” but may be important to keep in

This is a departmental document of how to respond to Michéal Martin on the Fennelly Report. #TerryProne asked for her input and suggested changing incredulous to incredible.

Three quarters of the original speech chopped out by #TerryProne. It was not the place for the “Encyclopaedia Brittanica of Departmental self-praise”. Says news version addresses issues that have been “niggling” like culture

For this one, ex-Minister #FrancesFitzgerald was advised to "lead the applause" at the end. Speech edited to add a "bit of wild blue yonder and ... humour" by #TerryProne

And that's it for the highlights: apologies for format in which the emails have been reproduced. The documents, probably 3 or 400 pages have been printed out (on both sides). Good for the environment not so good for my prospects of getting the full release up online.

Only took since 11 March 2017 to get those records. The decision has been appealed because some records have been withheld as "private papers" of #FrancesFitzgerald. In addition, I'm still not convinced that all relevant searches have taken place of messaging services.

All of this done through @RightToKnowIE so if you can support our work, please do: https://www.righttoknow.ie/ . Also, you can read a little more about the emails in today's @IrishMailSunday and @SunTimesIreland