Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Why has he been sent in here to deal with the Order of Business this morning? When we had a vote in the Chamber, we saw a number of other Ministers appear from behind the arras. What is this snub to the House, although I mean no disrespect to the Minister for Social and Family Affairs?

Will the Minister indicate if my understanding of the matter before the House is correct? I believe that if a tribunal has commenced a module of investigation, the Oireachtas cannot close it down without exposing the taxpayer to serious potential claims for damages.

Why has the new fees regime not been applied? The Tánaiste is quite properly concerned about runaway costs, but the Tánaiste as Attorney General negotiated the increase in fees for his colleagues in the Law Library at the various tribunals. He negotiated and sanctioned them, as well as getting the sanction of the Minister for Finance for the higher fees.

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