Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Does the Taoiseach not agree that this is the exact opposite of the transparency and accountability promised in the Government's programme? How will the roles of those co-ordinating the work of this Cabinet sub-committee differ from the roles of those who co-ordinate other sub-committees? Will the Taoiseach agree to make its work open to parliamentary questions and freedom of information requests? He can do so. There is no reason for it to be a Cabinet sub-committee. He could change its status if he wanted to do so. I ask him to do so in the interests of transparency and accountability so that we might ask questions about the economic work of the Department of An Taoiseach. The Dáil used to be able to do this but can no longer because that work has been subsumed within the Cabinet sub-committee. That we cannot ask parliamentary questions or make freedom of information requests means there is no accountability.

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