Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

It is a valid question for the Tánaiste because I am sure she, her Secretary General and others in the Department would be consulted before the Taoiseach would break it up. Perhaps there is a case to be made for such a restructuring. In the United Kingdom, for example, there is a Department for Work and Pensions which deals with people on social welfare of working age as well as labour market aspects of law.

It seems to me that the reason the Government is considering a reform, break-up or restructuring of the Tánaiste's Department is that the Taoiseach does not want to move her aside or dismiss her and that his own personal loyalty to her means he is considering abolishing the Department from underneath her. Does the Tánaiste accept that is the case, that the reason the Department is under review and may well be broken up is that she is the Minister of that Department and not because any serious consideration is being given to reforming the Department itself?

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