Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Last weekend the Cabinet decided to give legal effect to this decision. However, a bright light seems to have shone on the members of the Cabinet over the weekend when they discovered the mayhem that would descend on the 120,000 holders of second provisional licences. The Taoiseach admitted today that it is not necessary for a Minister to measure up to performance targets, and that he will not dismiss the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, if he fails to reach the objectives for next March and next June. This is no different from the nursing home repayment scandal, electronic voting, PPARS, decentralisation, hospital waiting lists and a litany of other failures by Ministers. Nobody in the Government is prepared to stand up and admit that he or she was wrong and did not measure up. Of course, the Taoiseach has himself set the standards for the dismissal of a Minister, which will make it difficult for him to do it.

At what level did the Cabinet consult with the Garda about this matter? I understand from Garda spokesmen that there was no consultation with the Garda. Will the Taoiseach confirm which level of the Garda was informed by the Cabinet that this decision would be implemented this week? The Minister, Deputy Dempsey, said in his statement on Sunday that the gardaí will enforce the law and will use discretion. These are not interpreted as comments or requests but as orders. By implication, has the Minister not put the Garda in the impossible position of being seen to be a tool of Fianna Fáil in Government to cover up its incompetence? The Minister, on behalf of the Government, tells the Garda Síochána that it will enforce the legislation and will do so with discretion. The Minister has left the Garda in a position where it is seen, in some quarters, to be subservient to what the Government wants it to do instead of implementing the law.

Pragmatism came to light on Sunday, when the Government realised the consequences of an ill thought out, rushed decision and how it was to be implemented. No Member of the House wants incompetent or unqualified drivers behind the wheels of vehicles. However, the Government's rush to implement this measure in four days would have caused absolute mayhem for 120,000 drivers, given that between 40% and 60% fail the driving test. The position would have been very difficult.

Who in the Garda did the Cabinet consult? Second, does the Taoiseach not believe that the Government and a Fianna Fáil Minister have, by implication, used the Garda as a tool of Government to cover for the Government's incompetence?

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