Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I reject the patronising nature of some of those comments. The fact is that we must run a Government. This is a modern country with a Government with many responsibilities at home, in Europe, abroad, within Departments and throughout various areas of policy which are being developed. We introduced the idea of cross-departmental responsibilities which have worked very well for the elderly and for people with disabilities. These are all reforms that get away from the silo mentality in the delivery of public services. They are well respected by those who interact with the Departments, who represent those constituencies and who have seen the benefit of strategic planning by bringing forward such reforms with ministerial responsibility.

If we were to take the logic of some of the Deputy's arguments to its conclusion, we would have a technocracy. People are elected to the House to take on responsibilities and to discharge those conscientiously. There are many on all sides of the House who would have a contribution to make were they given sufficient mandate to do so. If we were to reduce democratic accountability according to the analysis of Deputy Ó Caoláin, it would take away from that. The Deputy is one of the main advocates who has come to the House on several occasions and discussed the need for political accountability, yet, when it suits, he puts forward the argument that we should not have political accountability in that respect.

We must be straightforward. We must have an efficient Government and people must do their jobs which have value and worth. These people are getting on with the work and assisting Ministers in the discharge of duties, which are becoming all the more burdensome and manifold because of the nature of the challenges we face. Everyone in the House discharges those responsibilities conscientiously and to the very best of their ability. My job is to ensure that, in the context in which we live at present, those responsibilities are discharged in a way which is accountable to the people and which takes cognisance of the new economic situation. That is what I am attempting and seeking to do and we are not absolving those who hold ministerial office from the demands of the time any more than anyone else.

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