Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

In light of the closure of two solicitors' offices which were involved in substantial property dealings in the recent past, has the Minister for Finance received a report from the Financial Regulator on this matter? Is the Minister concerned at reports that further solicitors' offices may be scrutinised by the Law Society which is a very serious matter?

Arising from the latest revelation that senior officials were made aware of the intention of Aer Lingus to decide to move slots from Shannon to Belfast, will the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach make statements to the House as to their knowledge of this decision?

Does the Government intend to introduce a working early warning system to ensure that when information such as this comes to light it is transmitted to the Ministers concerned? It seems that Ministers hear nothing and in many cases, do nothing and in almost all cases, see nothing. Will those guidelines be issued under the Public Service Management Act 1997? For the information of the Ceann Comhairle, the guidelines for Ministers on the implementation of the Public Service Management Act 1997, which were issued by the public service modernisation section of the Department of the Taoiseach in 2002, require Ministers to ensure that appropriate strategies and systems are in place. The guidelines state these strategies and systems are to account to Dáil Éireann for the administration of a Department and other functions.

Two weeks ago, on the day after Mr. Justice Carney made his remarks on victim impact statements, the Tánaiste stated on the Order of Business that the Government had no plans to change the law in respect of victim impact statements. On the same day, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform contradicted him and stated he was contemplating changing the law. Which is it? Will changes be made in respect of victim impact statements?

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