Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Tomorrow is the 92nd anniversary of the first meeting of Dáil Éireann. I have no doubt that were those who convened in the Mansion House on 21 January 1919 to see what is unfolding today in this House, they would feel ashamed. There can be no question but that what the Taoiseach has just read into the record of the House was not what he, when he got out of bed this morning, intended to read into the record today or next Tuesday in terms of replacements for the list of resignations announced. There is no question but that it was not the Taoiseach's intention to further burden his team of Ministers with the additional responsibility he has now placed on their shoulders. I doubt any of them is thanking him. This further responsibility, in an already difficult time, must surely be the last thing in the world they needed.

There is no question but that the orchestrated series of resignations were definitely in the context of what I stated in this House earlier this morning, namely, the elevation of others from within the ranks of Fianna Fáil to Front Bench positions requiring the approval of the Dáil for all of those not already Cabinet Members. That is the reason the Taoiseach has fallen back on this scenario. The Green Party's absence speaks volumes. It speaks louder than does anything else at this moment in time. The Green Party was clearly not up for this and believed this was the straw that would break the camel's back and indicated so to the Taoiseach. That is the reason for the scenario just announced by the Taoiseach. Perhaps the Taoiseach will say if the resignations of those Ministers of State who are not standing in the next election are to hand.

The latest ESRI report indicates that approximately 1,000 young people will each week over the next two years leave the shores of this island. Some 100,000 people are expected to emigrate from this jurisdiction.

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