Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I differ with the Deputy. There are clearly assigned roles for the Executive and the Government in our Constitution which allows the Government to take decisions in areas and implement them. The Government is then examined and scrutinised by the Oireachtas after it has done that. Deputy Doherty knows there are different roles laid down for the Oireachtas and the Government when it comes to Government expenditure. That is what has happened in this case. The decision I made today is clearly inside the autonomy and power that the Government has under our Constitution, as the Deputy well knows.