Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I wish to ask a brief supplementary. The picture the Taoiseach has painted is not clear. The reason I ask this question is that I have never been in government and I am anxious and curious to know how these decisions are arrived at. I base my line of questioning on what was abhorrent to Opposition voices in the House, that members of the Government and members of the Cabinet were apparently unaware of the detail of the decisions announced on 7 April or 14 October last, or were they just being smart-assed about it and pretending that they had not been consulted? I ask the question again - are the decisions on the cuts in regard to specific Departments taken within the Department or are they decisions of the collective Cabinet?

The Taoiseach mentioned that the Cabinet is involved in broader policy decisions. In respect of the major decisions that have impacted so heavily and negatively not only in terms of public attitude towards the Government but - I believe I am fair in reflecting this - also against politics in general, which is clearly the position, are those decisions taken within Departments or is each Minister responsible for the cuts under his or her portfolio of responsibility? How are those decisions determined? Are the Secretaries General involved in such proposals? Who comes up with the ideas and the instances I cited in my opening question in regard to the cancellation of the HPV vaccine? Who dreamed up that proposal? In regard to the decision on special needs education where some 500 children will be deprived of the essential supports they need in the classroom, who dreamed up that proposal? I do not expect that the respective Ministers were the initial volunteers of these proposals but I could be surprised. The Taoiseach might have another go at responding to this question. I would be pleased to hear any further detail he would care to share.

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