Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I enjoyed it quite a lot. It was a very challenging Department. I have some understanding of the workload involved and of how issues can arise in the Department. I have some understanding of how, despite the best efforts of everybody, unexpected issues can arise in respect of which people would not be on notice, yet one is expected to have immediate and detailed replies in every respect. That is not often possible. That is the point I was making, but of course it has been conveyed in a different way by others for their own political purposes.

Let me return to the point. The point we are talking about relates to recruitment embargoes and other issues raised by the Deputy. The question of the appointment of special advisers is subject to guidelines outlined by the Department of Finance in respect of staff taken into the private offices of Ministers. One must obviously comply with those arrangements. That is what is done in the case in question, just as it was done under preceding Governments.

See this speech in context