Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Does the Taoiseach understand the level of frustration among people with the way the Government does its business? While Ministers consult employers and trade unions through the social partnership scheme, they rarely, if ever, consult those who are directly affected, that is, members of the public. In the case of Aer Rianta, for example, no representative of the travelling public was asked for views and in the case of proposals to privatise CIE, no bus or rail passenger was consulted. There is, therefore, a valuable element of information missing from the process. Does the Taoiseach agree that this could be addressed by the establishment of a statutory consumer enforcer as a pillar of social partnership, through which the public, who experience the direct impact of such Government decisions, could have its say? It might be most beneficial for the Ministers involved.

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