Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am absolutely in favour of accountability before this House. I am here to answer any question Deputy Micheál Martin wants to ask me in relation to that appointment or any other matter today, as I was yesterday and as I will be on Tuesday and Wednesday next. I understand that discussions are under way at the Business Committee and among the Whips about a debate later on today involving other Ministers and a more comprehensive discussion and I have no difficulty with that provided the terms can be agreed.

As I stated yesterday, I knew there was a vacancy. It was a matter of public record. In fact, it was advertised. I knew that it was a possibility the evening before that this appointment could be made. I did not know it was going to happen and did not have any sight of the memo until the Cabinet meeting itself.

Ultimately, what happened here was that a suitable person was appointed by a lawful process. No matter how much Deputy Micheál Martin tries to make this into an issue different from that, what happen here was that a suitable person who was appropriately qualified was appointed to a vacancy lawfully using a correct process.

See this speech in context