Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

No, they were not asked to second guess political agreements between parties. That would be an unusual precedent to set, as the Deputy will be aware. The agreements, which continue, were put in place on the formation of the Government in 2007. Deputies Lowry and Healy-Rae have those understandings which we will seek to honour in mutually supportive fashion.

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