Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The timescale for all of this process is important for people living throughout the State. It is more than three months since the election. I understand it will take a number of weeks to centralise all these responsibilities in her Department, which means we will be up against the summer recess period. Over that period, we, as opposition Deputies, cannot table questions to the Minister, therefore, it will be difficult for us to carry out our responsibilities in holding the Minister responsible for a period that may be up to six months duration following the general election.

We live in a two-tier economy where much of the State is suffering from below par economic activity, low incomes and poverty etc. To rebalance that in terms of development, we will not be able to help reorientate policy possibly for months to come. I would like a clear response from the Minister on when exactly the Department will be fully understanding of its direct remit.

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