Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has already done that. There is a very clear process for the determination of drugs of this nature. It is done through a clinical process. The meeting is tomorrow and the Minister will be informed and will report on it. Obviously he is anxious to have an effective process expedited in the patients' interests. Decisions are made clinically and not by politicians or the Government.

In respect of the second matter raised by the Deputy, last week the Government appointed four assistant commissioners. Let me be very clear about this. The Government did not change the recommendations or the order of recommendations made in respect of those nominees for positions which were vacant. The reason they were appointed was because significant areas of the country were not in the charge of any assistant commissioner and it was felt appropriate that those four appointments, which came through the process in the order in which they were nominated, be put in position to deal with the fact we had an escalating gangland situation with serious elements of crime to be dealt with and significant parts of the country were not under the direction or control of any assistant commissioner.

The other appointments to be made, and the 20 or more senior appointments that must be made, will be made by the independent Policing Authority. The Government will have no function in making those appointments. This will apply from now on for all those appointments. They will be made completely by the independent Policing Authority. It was just the urgency of this situation and the fact huge areas of the country were without direction from an assistant commissioner, putting pressure on the entire system, that they were put in place. I confirm to the Deputy again there was no change in the order or the recommendations made.

In respect of the Deputy's first question, I would like to see the Manning report implemented in terms of reform of the Seanad. We have had so many reports, commissions and work groups over the past 40 years looking at the Seanad. The people decided they wanted the Seanad to remain and remain it will. In my view, I would like to see the new Seanad deal with the implementation of the Manning report. Perhaps it might not be able to be implemented in all of its facets, but it is a report based on an objective, experienced analysis of people who have served in the Seanad and who have no further personal interest or stake in it other than to see how it might work effectively.

In respect of the Deputy's remark about Deputy Martin, the position under the Constitution is the nominees of the Taoiseach refer specifically to the Taoiseach of the day. I could have decided not to have had anything to do with Deputy Martin in this regard, but I think nobody could object-----

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