Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

This is not a trivial matter. If there is to be any degree of integrated thinking across Departments, there must be delegated orders, particularly in respect of Ministers of State with cross-cutting responsibilities. Without these, there is no authority. We have seen time and again in the case of initiatives at cross-departmental level that if the body that controls the budget does not consider these cross-cutting operations to be important, they will stifle them at birth.

Will the Minister of State convey to the Taoiseach the view of my party that he should insist that every Minister issues delegation orders specifying powers to the relevant Ministers of State? That is the only means by which the latter will have some meaningful role to play. It is vital for the protection of Ministers of State and for the purpose of ensuring better governance. I ask the Minister of State to convey that view formally.

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