Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

If the Minister checks the record of the House, he will find that every time issues were raised with me I pursued them and I came back. On innumerable occasions in the previous Dáil at Question Time, I offered to debate with the relevant Oireachtas committee issues of major importance to do with the various Departments for which I had responsibility. The Minister's jibe might be smart - as most of his jibes are - but it is factually incorrect. The record of the House will show that I always wanted detailed debates and any Member who engaged with me in debate in committees found that if I did not have the answer to hand, I would come back. I was always in favour of more debate because I learned a lot from them. I was given a lot of new ideas and I was willing to change my mind.

See this speech in context