Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

When Deputy Dempsey was a Whip himself, I recall giving him such advice. He knows it is perfectly in order but he does not want further embarrassment for the Government.

The Taoiseach said the Government wanted the Oireachtas involved at every step of the way in this inquiry. One of those steps is the drawing up of the terms of reference. The current law does not provide for the Oireachtas to be part of that. The Taoiseach said he wants that change but the Tánaiste said no further amendments will be introduced. If the Tánaiste wants to agree with the Minister for Finance, who has been very forthright, an amendment is required to provide for the Oireachtas to change the terms of reference of an inquiry, if it so wishes.

Everyone is interested in seeing the law of the land applied and those who were blatantly out of line, if the law so finds them, or were involved in criminal activities ending up behind bars. Finding out the facts at the cheapest cost is also in everybody's interests. However, I am sure the Minister for Transport is fully intent on having a Fianna Fáil chairperson of some committee beaten around the head in an office upstairs before he goes to the meeting and being told to stand by the party with no embarrassing questions on matters of policy or regulation.

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