Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The Cabinet sub-committee on Aer Lingus last met on 9 December 2004. The work of the sub-committee is completed and there are no arrangements for it to meet again. Responsibility for this issue rests with the Minister for Transport. The Cabinet sub-committee on social inclusion last met on Wednesday, 10 May 2006 and will next meet on Wednesday, 5 July 2006.

As I have outlined to the House on a number of occasions, Cabinet committees are an integral part of the Cabinet process. Questions as to the business conducted at Cabinet or Cabinet committee meetings have never been allowed in the House on the grounds that they are internal to Government. The reasons for this approach are founded on sound policy principles and the need to avoid infringing the constitutional protection of Cabinet confidentiality.

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