Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Taoiseach is being paid almost €6,000 per week and he has not answered any of the questions I asked him, so I will ask them again. It is the citizens of this city who will becomes the patsies because they will have to pay one way or the other. The citizens of this city, the capital of our country, will pay for the farce that is going on. I would have thought the Taoiseach would have left aside the spin doctors' notes and answered the question he was asked, which was very straight, and to which there is a yes or no answer.

I remind the Taoiseach of what the Minister, Deputy Gormley, said on more than one occasion. He said this incinerator would not go ahead with the Greens in Government. He said, this incinerator would never be built. In fact, he told me when I was canvassing in Rathmines — I met him on his bicycle without the armed guard behind him — that it would be over his dead body this incinerator in Poolbeg would ever see the light of day. To use a pun, it is becoming a hot topic.

Is it the Taoiseach's opinion and is it Government policy that the Poolbeg incinerator, approved by An Bord Pleanála, be made redundant? He has not answered the question as to Government policy on the number of incinerators required on the estimates of Government. Previously the number was eight, then it became two and later it became four. What is the position? Has the Government a view and has it made a decision on this issue? The Minister, Deputy Gormley, has said that he has changed Government policy on waste incineration. Will the Taoiseach explain to the House how he has changed Government policy? What great debate did he bring to the Cabinet that all the members of Fianna Fáil and the solitary member of the Progressive Democrats said, "By God, John, you are right, we had better change Government policy and get away from this business of having incineration as we had originally planned"? How has he changed Government policy? Is the Taoiseach happy that the Minister, Deputy Gormley, is articulating Government policy accurately? If not, has he called in the Minister to explain to him that, as a new Minister, Government policy is a collective responsibility and that he should understand what is Government policy? I would like, in respect of the Taoiseach's position, if he would answer some of those questions directly, without reference to the spin doctors.

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