Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

With regard to Deputy Cowen's constituency colleague and chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service, who according to this morning's newspaper said the whistleblower's Bill will be ready by next year, yesterday the Tánaiste told me that there will not be a whistleblower's Bill. Will the Minister indicate which is it?

The second matter I wish to raise is the package on Dáil reform where I see that among other things the Minister or the Government is trying to diminish Leaders' Questions, to change the rules and have Ministers answer instead of the Taoiseach, and a number of other changes detrimental both to this House and targeted at the Opposition. I take this opportunity to inform the Minister that my party will not engage in any negotiations on these proposals with the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, much as I have regard for him, because they are designed to further disadvantage the Opposition in terms of the operation of this House and to diminish the stature of the House.

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