Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The committee on justice was set up to deal with the presentation of options for the setting up of a statutory independent authority for the Garda. It has met, I believe, on two occasions and the officials have met on a number of occasions in between to follow on its work programme. I expect it will meet again next week. The intention is that there should be a set of proposals to deal with the setting up of the statutory authority available this month which can be debated in the House. Another element of that was the competition being put in place and in process by the Minister for Justice and Equality in respect of the appointment of the Commissioner of the Garda.

In regard to Deputy Higgins's comments, the Economic Management Council met three times in February, twice in March and once in May.

Deputy Martin asked whether the structure of the Cabinet sub-committees will be revisited. These used to operate irregularly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays - I tend to do them one Monday in the month. They are substantial meetings and, from my point of view, they are a very good facility to bring a conclusion to processes that are going on in Departments for a very long time, then they go to Cabinet for decision, acceptance or whatever, having been discussed and concluded at the Cabinet sub-committee meetings. I find they are a method of being able to timeline and force conclusions on issues that have been around for a long time. I do not propose any change in that structure; I find it works well. It is quite important to say that the outcome of them goes to Cabinet for final decision and obviously for discussion afterwards.

In regard to Deputy Higgins's comment, any time new people are appointed to Cabinet, there must be a debate and a vote on it in the Dáil and that will take place in the event of new faces in new places in the not too distant future and the Deputy will have an opportunity to make his comments.

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