Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

The Taoiseach, when he took office, mentioned specifically in his speech — I remember it well — issues such as the environment and climate change. In this regard, the programme for Government sets an important target of a 3% reduction in carbon emissions per annum. This has goodwill across this House as we all recognise the importance of meeting the challenge of global warming.

I must raise with the Taoiseach an issue of grave concern. I am glad Deputy Behan is present in the House. It appears the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, has lost the confidence not alone of Members on this side of the House but on the Government side. I do not expect the Taoiseach has read The Wicklow Times but I presume he is aware of this loss of confidence on his side given he is leader of the Fianna Fáil Party. I submit to the Taoiseach that we are in trouble when a member of a Government party states the Taoiseach should seriously consider finding an alternative portfolio for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government who self evidently is not up to the job and also calls on that Minister to reconsider his position. This is at a time when we must meet onerous requirements from the EU in respect of climate change. We all want to meet those requirements.

Will the Taoiseach offer to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government a new portfolio with which he can cope? It is clear he has lost the confidence of Members on the Government side of the House to live up to his requirement.

See this speech in context