Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

——or whether he could go on holidays safe in the knowledge that the biggest political story of the summer was not about to break? Is it reasonable to be sceptical when, the day before he got this briefing, the second in command in his Department was so concerned about a political story that was about to break that he rang Mr. Dermot Mannion, chief executive of Aer Lingus, yet the following day, despite the fact that the Minister would have been required to ask questions about his written briefing, nobody chose to mention this?

This is not the Opposition looking for a political opportunity. Pure and simple, it is that we do not believe what the Minister is saying. That is why these questions have been tabled. It is not credible.

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