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

I will tell the House why. Four years ago, page 3 of the programme for Government stated, "We will legislate for a reformulated code of laws, replacing both the Ministers and Secretaries Acts and the Public Service Management Act, which will spell out the legal relationship between Ministers and their civil servants and their legal accountability for decisions and for management of Departments". It further states, "We will bring to an end the unacceptable executive practice where no record is kept of ministerial involvement with an issue and resulting decisions". What happened that legislative commitment?

What happened with regard to the then Minister, Phil Hogan and the head of Irish Water, is absolutely unacceptable and goes to the heart of the opaqueness and the lack of transparency in setting up Irish Water. The Taoiseach went against all official advice. Out of a whole series of meetings only ten out of 23 were minuted and four meetings between the Minister and Bord Gáis officials were not recorded.

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