Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I asked the Taoiseach two questions which he did not answer. First, was he aware that the Tánaiste was pursuing an independent track and that his officials and advisers had been meeting with the various bidders and getting their opinions? Was the Taoiseach aware that the Tánaiste was pursuing that independent approach on the location of the national children's hospital? Second - this could be a yes-or-no answer - has the Government asked any other individual person separate from the Dolphin process to assess the sites concerned, or has any Minister in the Cabinet asked an independent person to assess the sites? A simple "Yes" or "No" would be appreciated.

The bottom line is that we have had a great deal of speculation, all of it emanating from the Government side. It is no longer good enough for the Taoiseach to stand up here and say that he does not deal in anonymous sources, because the source is not anonymous. This morning's report is not anonymous. It is as clear as blue water where it is coming from; it came from the Labour Party side this morning, and they are in quotation marks. It is an open secret that the Minister approached Beaumont Hospital to make a submission on the Belcamp site. Other Ministers have been openly promoting the Blanchardstown site. We all agree in the House that the issue is of paramount importance. What is important - I want the Taoiseach to assure the House on this - is that party political considerations will not dictate the outcome here-----

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