Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Ministers will not come into this House to answer questions. I emphasise to the Minister of State that this country needs reform. We want the political system to be reformed so that the Taoiseach and his Ministers and Ministers of State are accountable to this House, rather than to interests outside it. That is necessary if the scandals that have plagued this House are not to be repeated. We need a smaller number of stronger committees. The former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, introduced a system of allocating jobs that reminds me of "The Late Late Show" in the sense that there is one for everybody on the back benches. With two exceptions, every Fianna Fáil Deputy has a job that attracts an extra salary. The boys and girls of Fianna Fáil who are not Ministers or Ministers of State have been given back bench positions to stop them from complaining to the Taoiseach. Given that the Green Party agrees with us, I am glad that the Minister of State from that party, Deputy Sargent, is now present in the House. I am sure he will vote with us tonight.

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