Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

The Acting Chairman will find this to be a graphic example and if he allows me to finish he will be pleased with the manner in which I intend to put it.

The Minister correctly made the decision as to how the system would operate in future. The Acting Chairman knows I am correct in this regard. Having so done, Members are entitled to consider him to have correctly exercised his powers. However, what happened? I revert to the amendment. What will happen? There will be apologies to the effect that the Minister is not accountable to the House. The Minister is accountable outside the House. He can speak at local or national Fianna Fáil meetings or on RTE. He can speak to the local or national newspapers. He can speak to everyone.

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