Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Last week, the Taoiseach was commendably forthright in condemning the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Noel Dempsey, and the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Fahey, for their extravagance and abuse of public privilege. That forthrightness has not lasted very long when he dismisses this kind of expenditure as being of a minor order. While it may not be very much to the Taoiseach, €52 million would buy 60,000 computers for schools, build 64 teacher schools and remove many thousands from waiting lists. How can the Taoiseach have confidence in the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government——

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