Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

There are eight Ministers of State with no formal delegation status, including the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Treacy.

As a politician I have no objection to being attacked politically, as happens to us all. For the first time in my memory, the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, attacked yours truly at a formal function in Brussels on the occasion of the Irish language being announced as a working language of the Community. The Taoiseach and Fine Gael rightly supported the announcement. The attack was personal and vindictive, in front of international personnel. In my time a Minister of State never attacked a Member of the House while abroad. I am sure the Minister of State did not let fly with the Taoiseach's imprimatur because the Taoiseach never did that. Perhaps the Minister of State got mixed up or perhaps he wrote the script. Why is the Ceann Comhairle shaking his head?

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