Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Does the Taoiseach not accept that the people behind him, and his colleagues watching on the monitors, are as confused as those of us on this side of the House about the point of the whole exercise? There is neither purpose nor pattern to the reshuffle. It is like a farmer at the cattle mart who goes into the bullpen with the cattle and prods them to move them around. One bullock gets out the gate but the rest are in the position in which they were before he moved them around. Is it right to say that the Minister, Deputy Brennan, is familiar with the social inclusion agenda or dealing with poor people? The only time he ever touched on it was when he was looking after Deputy Healy-Rae, Deputy Fox and others. He does not want to be there.

What is the Taoiseach saying about him? Were his decisions at Dublin Airport not Government decisions? Is the Taoiseach saying he was off on a frolic of his own at Dublin Airport and that the new Minister for Transport will behave differently or was he pursuing Government policy? How can the Taoiseach reconcile this Cabinet with the commitment he made at Inchydoney and since 11 June that there would be a more compassionate, caring face to this Government? He has put square pegs into round holes. People who were unable to perform in their old Departments are now expected to deliver the goods in new ones.

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