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

The programme for Government contains a commitment to supporting an enhanced approach to Government by Ministers of State and outlined the way in which they would play a more substantive role in decision-making. I am asking for a progress report on this issue. The Taoiseach has outlined how things were always done in the case of either appointing Ministers of State with statutory responsibility or appointing those without specific statutory remit but, perhaps, with a broader policy remit. The comments of the Taoiseach add nothing to what is contained in the programme for Government. The programme for Government suggests that something different would be done; that something of a more enhanced role would be put in play for Ministers of State.

I put it to the Taoiseach that this got off to a bad start when Deputies Canney and Moran tossed a coin to decide who would become Minister of State. I recall asking Deputy Moran in the corridors whether the appointments would be for two-and-a-half years each, to which he replied that I must have been joking because the whole thing would not last at all and that the arrangements were for one year at a time.

I put it to the Taoiseach that this does not represent an enhanced role for Ministers of State. I take it the Taoiseach disapproves of this behaviour by the two Deputies, albeit, they are new to the House. This has shone a bad light on the question of Ministers of State and their appointment. All of this happened and was widely reported. Both Deputies have told many journalists about it without any hint of embarrassment. They poured forth their views on how tossing a coin to decide who would become the Minister of State for one year was acceptable. Apparently, at committees the Minister of State is shadowed by the Deputy who will become the Minister of State for the next year in order that the future Minister of State can read himself into the job. I think all of this is degrading to the office of Minister of State. The practice undermines the office.

I have considerable sympathy for the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Halligan, because of the way he was treated in respect of University Hospital Waterford and the recommendation in respect of the catheterisation laboratory. In previous times, other reports were compiled. For example, a clinical report was compiled in respect of the formation of the hospital group system. The clinicians involved were adamant that University Hospital Waterford should have been the regional centre for cardiac care as well as emergency cardiac care. The hospital was designated for that purpose in a separate report. In other words, two separate reports, prior to that commissioned by the Minister for Health, identified Waterford hospital as a key centre for cardiac care. The Minister would have been within his rights to expect that the matter would be followed through and that the second catheterisation laboratory would be provided. Indeed, the HSE had made a business case for it regionally, although the decision was made nationally.

In any event, at no stage did anyone say that the hospital could not or should not go ahead with it until the aftermath of the election and the discussions and negotiations around the formation of Government. Then, hey presto, it was decided to undertake another review. The result is that the second catheterisation laboratory has not been approved. This put the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, in a difficult position. He was caricatured and, to some extent, parodied by others as not being effective enough in pursuing the issue. I would have thought the decision-making processes in Government would have been refined in the context of the composition of Government to help better decision-making on the issue, especially since decisions apply to particular Ministers of State.

Can the Taoiseach confirm the number of delegation orders in respect of statutory responsibilities that have been issued at this stage? Can the Taoiseach outline whether other delegation orders have yet to be made or whether others are in the process of being made but have not yet been executed? Can the Taoiseach indicate the position?

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