Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I suspect the Minister of State had no concept that these payments had to be paid in 36 hours' time. His persistent interruptions suggest he is not on top of the job.

Another issue is the Government's proposals regarding the establishment of Oireachtas committees whereby no Opposition Member will chair any direct-line departmental committee. To reiterate, the Government's decision at the macro level on the 1% interest rate reduction on the bailout has fallen apart today; the micro-level handling of this particular Estimate whereby the Minister of State has pushed it to the wire and almost blown it means our consent is required today in order to ensure public service staff are paid this Friday; and the Government's contempt for the Dáil in rushing through the setting up of committees without any Opposition agreement in regard to membership and chairmanship is a disgrace.

This is the Government's 91st day in office and we can all expect a major public relations spin soon with claims of how wonderfully it has performed in its first 100 day. However, the cracks are beginning to show. The Government is entitled to its honeymoon period, but the Queen and President Obama have come and gone and the glow is beginning to wear off. From now on the Government is on its own. It can continue to blame the outgoing Administration for all these decisions, but we are not responsible for the Government's election promise that it would negotiate a 1% reduction in the interest rate on the bailout, which it has failed to do. We are not responsible for the fact that the Government is making a hames of setting up committees and has allowed no Opposition input. These are the Government's decisions and actions, not ours. It is not our fault that the payment of staff at the CSO has been brought to the wire and that an emergency motion is required.

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