John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

The Tánaiste said that she wanted to be fair and truthful, and I would like her to be both when she answers my questions. Is it not the case that having expressed full confidence in the Minister, Deputy Martin, at the same time she is expressing no confidence in Mr. Kelly, and that by accepting his move to another Department she is expressing no confidence in him?

On another matter, the State faces a major bill of up to €2 billion. Will the Minister inform the House how she expects to raise that money? The Minister for Finance is sitting beside her and perhaps he could tell her. Are we looking at cuts in the health service? Yesterday the Minister said that she wanted more resources for her Department. I would like her to let us all know how she expects to raise them because this is probably the most serious issue at this stage.

Where do special advisers fit into the scheme of things? The Minister, like other Ministers, has surrounded herself with special advisers. Some of them were with her at the health committee yesterday. What responsiblity do these people have and to whom are they answerable?

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