Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

We need more clarity on the Taoiseach's reply to the question on social partnership in his Department. The essence of that reply was that the central role the Department of the Taoiseach had in social partnership no longer holds. Yesterday, I asked questions in the House about filling the vacant position of secretary general in the Taoiseach's Department. I regret to state I got more information about that in The Irish Times this morning, from an article by the newspaper's political correspondent who was obviously well-briefed by Government sources, that I got from the Taoiseach's replies in the House. That goes to the very heart of the lack of accountability in this House - the withholding of information and reluctance to reveal what is happening. The reason, of course, is that the Secretary General in question had a key role in the whole social partnership process and its evolution. Has responsibility for social partnership moved, in essence, from the Taoiseach's Department?

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