Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. Two weeks ago I submitted a question to the Minister for Justice and Equality asking if he would provide in tabular form the legislation in place for which his Department is responsible and which also confers powers, responsibilities or a consultative or advisory role on the Minister for Defence, Department of Defence or any authorised person within the Defence organisation and the nature of any such powers, responsibilities, consultative or advisory roles conferred on same.

The Minister replied advising me that as members of the Government are not officially responsible to the Dáil for interpreting or stating the law, he had no responsibility for the matter I raised. I tabled a similar question to the Minister for Defence and received a tabular breakdown. I have heard of Cabinet splits but I have never heard of a split on the part of an individual Minister. Can the Minister explain how that situation could evolve and why the Minister for Justice and Equality, apparently, does not agree with the Minister for Defence?

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