Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Deputy needs to get his research people to phrase their questions differently. The difficulty is that he has not become used to Opposition yet. It is a very different prospect from being over here as a Minister in various different Departments when he did not need to bother about this. As I have known myself over the years, when a Deputy tables a question it goes to the Ceann Comhairle who decides whether it is in compliance with Standing Orders. It then goes to a line Department. In the case of the Department of the Taoiseach, if the substantive responsibility rests with another Minister, that is when a transfer for answer to that Minister takes place. I do not see these questions until they appear on the Order Paper. I have answered 260 oral questions tabled by the Deputy and others since the Government was formed, which is probably more than previous taoisigh did in a term, but that is beside the point.

If the question is in compliance with Standing Orders and is relevant to the issues I have raised here, I answer it. I have no intention of changing the nature of the way which this is arrived at. It is a question of the Deputy's researchers rephrasing the questions. For instance he has asked a question about the Department of the Taoiseach being downsized by 50%. His party might have had a view, but that is not what is in the programme for Government. It is probably not the Deputy's fault, but perhaps he should instruct his researchers to phrase their questions slightly differently in order to be in compliance with Standing Orders and to deal with the issue for which the Taoiseach has responsibility.

As the Deputy is aware, over recent years the issue of European affairs has become central to all with which we have to contend. As Taoiseach I have responsibility there. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade obviously has a great deal of interaction with his counterparts at European level, which is why the second Secretary General, who I am glad to say will be taking up office shortly, will deal with the question of a far more streamlined European co-ordination element of what we have to do. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade will continue to answer questions on European issues. Where I have responsibility, I will answer them and the second Secretary General in the Department of the Taoiseach will have a much stronger and more effective co-ordinating responsibility between the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, because we both deal with elements of European issues on a regular basis.

I have no intention of not wanting to answering questions from Deputy Martin or any other Deputy, but they should be, first, in compliance with Standing Orders and, second, relevant to matters for which I have direct responsibility. If I am asked questions about European agriculture in so far as I might have dealings with Heads of Government about agricultural issues, it may well be that the substantive element of the question is more appropriate to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and in those circumstances that is where the transfer takes place. I had the same problem over the years in opposition and I learned to phrase questions differently in a way that they are in compliance with Standing Orders but still get an answer from the Taoiseach of the day.

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