Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

That is a very good point. The executive powers of the State are required by our Constitution to be the subject of accountability in the House. That is the reason Ministers for Justice have statutory functions with regard to the Garda Síochána and are called to book here in the House when something goes wrong. The Deputies opposite cannot have it both ways. They cannot say I am not doing my job and at the same time say somebody else should make all the day-to-day decisions separately and independently from me. They cannot have it both ways.

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