Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I will not take such absolute patent rubbish from Deputy Martin. He did not listen to the answer I gave. I am responsible to this Dáil for the general activities of my Department, and parliamentary questions to me must relate to public affairs connected with my Department or to matters of administration for which I am responsible. That is English and the Deputy should understand it.

There are, however, specific responsibilities undertaken by officials of my Department for which I have no official responsibility, such as decisions made on freedom of information requests - I am telling the Deputy because he does not seem to want to understand - or matters coming under the National Archives Act in respect of the release of files. My responsibilities in European affairs include my participation in meetings of the European Council and other key European summits, as well as bilateral meetings and other foreign visits. That is clear.

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