Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I know. Notwithstanding the subordinate bodies or quangos that have been set up by the Government over the past few years, is the Minister of State aware that previous Ministers answered the questions relative to those Departments and there was no need for Dáil reform for that to happen? Would the Minister of State consider it useful, important and courageous to revert to that good old practice whereby for every single euro approved by this House, and allocated to whatever subordinate body there may be, there is a responsibility of the Minister to answer for it here? Attempting to avoid that is a negation of public duty.

In the past few days, failure to answer Dáil questions came to a sudden halt at the negotiation that took place in Brussels. A small bit of information made available to the Members of the House would have alleviated much of the stress and worry that has now befallen the Irish people and would have asserted this House of Parliament as a real parliamentary assembly and not just the rubber stamp that it has become.

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