Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

-----in terms of the areas of significant challenge. Let us note that the leader of Fianna Fáil was in a Cabinet for 14 years which was replete with allegations of corruption and brown envelopes. He humoured and put up with that, but Sinn Féin did not. That is the difference between us and his party.

The areas of significant challenge include homelessness, chaos in health, a lack of provision for mental health services, housing, the rental sector, water charges and public transport. I note that the Taoiseach very skilfully hung the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport out to dry earlier during Leaders' Questions.

There has been little movement on issues which are the direct responsibility of the Taoiseach. I have already put it to the Taoiseach that the commitment to actively fulfil the Government's mandate as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement has not been fulfilled. I note that the commitment of the Taoiseach to maintain the needs of victims at the core of building on the progress made to establish the new institutional framework on the past, as agreed under the Stormont House Agreement, has not been fulfilled. There are other commitments in respect of North-South infrastructural projects, specifically the Narrow Water bridge project and the southern relief road between Warrenpoint and the M1. A range of other commitments are the direct responsibility of the Taoiseach's Department.

Progress in these areas has not happened, including Ministers of State playing a more substantive role in policy formation and a re-examination of their functions within departmental structures and with Ministers. I am obliged to give the Taoiseach space to answer these questions.

See this speech in context