Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Well, I don't think that the theatre of the Dáil Chamber is particularly effective in terms of Opposition holding Government to account. If you take the Leaders' Questions moment, which was introduced only latterly, you know, the Opposition take up the issue of the day, whatever party is in opposition, they take up ... whatever is the issue du jouris the issue that they run with, with an eye to the six o'clock news and the Government does its best to bat it back. I don't think that is very effective in terms of accountability. I think the evolution of the network of parliamentary committees offers an opportunity for the kind of minute accountability that you are referring to that is not provided for in the Dáil Chamber so I think the answer to your question is, "not very good".