Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We do not require the breaching of Cabinet confidentiality. The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, has stated that he knew nothing about the appointment. He was in an impossible position because the matter comes before Cabinet, the person who is about to be appointed is sitting there and suddenly someone asks, "Is this decided?" How could anyone say "No" when everyone is suddenly applauding? That is just wrong in terms of Cabinet confidentiality. Cabinet collective responsibility is a double-edged sword. It is a limit to one's powers but it is also the case that one has the powers but cannot operate them where some members of Cabinet turn up to Cabinet with no knowledge of what is coming in terms of such a highly sensitive appointment. That process is wrong and there are questions we need to have answered.

The key question I want answered is where is the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross. We are usually the last to get speaking time, except when the Independent Alliance is in the House. While he may burst through the door in the next 90 seconds, I think he has questions to answer. He had a meeting with the Taoiseach-to-be, Deputy Varadkar, on the Sunday - it was not just a phone call from Deputy Micheál Martin. The main item of the meeting was judicial appointments in exchange for support for the Government. It beggars belief that the Taoiseach, who admitted today he had a sense that this appointment was going to be on the cards, did not mention it to the Minister during the meeting to which I refer. We need to know from the Minister when he found out about this appointment or is his whole interest in judicial appointments a complete populist pretence that has now been exposed?

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