Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Is the programme for Government being rejected? Is that what the Minister of State telling me? This is the second occasion on which the Minister of State has answered this question on behalf of the Tánaiste. It is not the Minister of State's area of responsibility. He does not have much interaction with the policing side of his Department. I cannot keep asking the same question, getting different answers and then getting no answer at all. The programme for Government was agreed less than a year ago. It is not an unreasonable question. Are the boundaries of the Garda districts being reviewed by the Policing Authority, the Garda Inspectorate, the Minister for Justice and Equality or the Department of Justice and Equality? Who is doing it? I do not want to have to go back to the Ceann Comhairle again and ask for another Topical Issue debate on this. On the previous occasion, I gave the Minister of State all the details and numbers of the population in the Enniscorthy district which takes in two local electoral areas of Gorey and Enniscorthy. I do not need to go over it again. I need the Minister of State to find out for me.

The standard of response coming from Departments is absolutely scandalous. It is not the fault of the Acting Chairman nor is it the fault of the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, but the rubbish being presented as responses to Deputies in the House cannot continue. Deputy Eugene Murphy is in the Chair at the moment. It is his job to ensure the answers are not substandard. It is the second time the Minister of State has answered this question from me and it is the second time that the answer is substandard.

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