Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

As the Minister of State, Deputy Mary White, will be the one to suffer, I hope we will not have a situation such as is already happening with this portfolio. We put down a number of priority questions and other questions but they have been transferred to other Departments. I hope, when the Department becomes the new Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, that these questions will be dealt with by the Minister of State and will not be transferred to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. If that begins to happen, there will be some row in this House.

Deputies Jack Wall, Catherine Byrne and myself have a problem in regard to the questions we put down in regard to drugs because their transfer to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Health and Children has created all kinds of difficulty for us. This is why I said earlier that we want to know clearly what the Minister of State, Deputy White, has responsibility for. Will we be able to put down questions to her or will they be transferred to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform? With no disrespect to the Minister of State, if that is to happen, there is no point having her in the Department. We need to be able to ask her questions and I hope the powers will be granted to this Department so we will be able to ask questions.

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