Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Either the Deputy wants to hear the answer or she wants to give me the answer. The requirement of a national screening programme is an absolute prerequisite for the implementation of any other aspect of that programme. That is being proceeded with and additional money is being provided for that in the coming year.

With regard to Deputy Gilmore's question, the programme for Government must abide by the financial and budgetary realities. This is an agreed programme and we are working well as a Government working out all the priorities of various Departments. The Green Party is achieving many of its objectives in Government in respect of environmental matters and energy policy.

Deputy Gilmore should know if he is ever to be in Government again that every Government should have a basic cohesion about it. It is not about saying, "We have certain demands and what are you going to give us for them?" It is about everyone working together to achieve priorities within Government based on the budgetary situation. That leads to a much better outcome than the making of demands all the time suggesting Deputy Gilmore's party's commitments are more precious than Deputy Kenny's, if that were ever to be the case.

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