Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Will the Taoiseach indicate whether there are Standing Orders or written materials on the Economic Management Council or its function and role? Many people believe that a coup d'état has taken place inside this Government and that the Economic Management Council has seized all powers to itself. It is made up of the Taoiseach - the prime minister, the deputy prime minister and two finance ministers. They are the four horsemen of the austerity apocalypse or the austerity agenda, so to speak. They ride roughshod over the other Ministers.

The Minister for Social Protection has evidenced great angst over this seizure of power and has delivered of herself quite publicly on the issue, let alone the number of private briefings she has given, which seem to go on endlessly. I am not too concerned about bruised ministerial egos.

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