Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Which Cabinet committee deals with banking, the financial institutions, the State guarantee and NAMA? Would the Taoiseach accept that given the huge sums of public money poured into the financial institutions, it is not unreasonable for people to believe he who pays the piper should call the tune? We have learned, however, that the Minister for Finance approved the top-up to the pension arrangements for the CEO of Bank of Ireland. The Taoiseach personally defended that decision in the Dáil last week. What Cabinet committee is addressing these matters?

Major strategic decisions are being taken on an almost daily basis, certainly in the recent past, by the Minister for Finance, yet there is no clear indication as to where is the prior engagement in this regard in terms of the collective responsibility of Cabinet. Without breaching Cabinet confidentiality, all of which I understand, will the Taoiseach give the Chamber an indication as to which committee is taking the overview and oversight responsibility along with the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach vis-À-vis the issues that are unfolding daily regarding banking, the financial institutions, the State guarantee and NAMA?

On a second matter, which Cabinet committee is tasked with addressing the issue of the promised referendum on the rights of children? Is it the case that there is a special Cabinet committee that deals with all referenda proposals or is it a particular Cabinet committee that deals with the particular remit of the referendum focus? For example, in terms of children's rights being placed in the referendum, would that come under a Cabinet committee dealing with health and children? Will the Taoiseach clarify this point?

Is there a Cabinet committee with responsibility for employment policy and strategy? We have all noted with some alarm that there is no longer a Department, a Minister or a Minister of State in whose title the word "employment" appears as a result of the Taoiseach's recent reshuffle. The word "employment" is crucial. Is it the case, as I have already inquired, that there are a raft of Cabinet committees addressing the issue of employment and that it has been piecemealed out in regard to specific sectors under the different Cabinet committees' roles and responsibilities?

Would the Taoiseach agree that, in regard to employment in particular, there should be a specified, stand-alone, dedicated Cabinet committee, given the serious situation this economy is facing today, with growing numbers of young people being offered only the dole queue or the emigrant flight or boat? Surely we should have a dedicated Cabinet committee dealing with all of the issues in regard to fighting unemployment, devising strategies to protect and save jobs and, very importantly, creating new ones.

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