Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

If Ministers refuse to answer questions and enter the House to be held accountable for the moneys expended by their Departments, something should be done about it. The only person who can do anything is the Taoiseach. The Opposition has one or two methods to assist and they will come to pass if something is not done as a matter of urgency. I am not issuing a threat, but the Ceann Comhairle or any long-standing member of the Opposition knows as well as I do that this situation has gone on for long enough and will be tolerated no longer. If the Government wants to try it out, let us try it and see what happens some morning.

The other issue is the national vetting bureau Bill, which is urgently needed and much promised. The Taoiseach has updated the House a number of times. Is it likely to appear in the House soon? The Taoiseach has a quizzical look on his face.

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