Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

As Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy has every right to raise issues on Leaders' Questions and I have a duty to respond as best I can. The Economic Management Council will deal with economic planning and budgetary matters, with the economic recovery programme, including the representation of Ireland internationally in negotiations with the EU, the ECB, the IMF and the troika, the integration of the work of Departments and agencies and the co-ordination of banking policy. The Deputy has asked questions about these issues already. The council has met ten times to date, on 10, 15, 21, 23, 28, 29 and 31 March and on 4, 5 and 11 April, reflecting the seriousness of the issues with which it must deal and the decisions to be made by Government as a consequence.

See this speech in context