Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

All these arrangements relating to Cabinet committees are very confusing. I thank the Taoiseach for explaining to the House the role of these committees in reconciling what may appear to be conflicting policy objectives by Government and individual Departments. Which of the committees is addressing the matters related to banking?

Which committee, for example, would have considered the proposal to establish "an bord bail out", or NAMA as it is officially known? Which committee would have considered the apparent conflict of Government objectives with regard to the establishment of that agency and the issue, for example, of staffing? What is the anticipated complement of staff and how is it proposed to recruit those staff? Is it intended to have a recruitment process or is it intended to transfer them from other areas of Government activity? How is it proposed to reconcile the establishment of an agency which appears to require a large number of staff in circumstances where there is a total and rigid embargo on recruitment in the public sector?

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