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

The most basic fact on which no one is clear is exactly what the situation is on the Department's role in staffing for the Brexit process. While the position of the second Secretary General and the head of the international division is clear, very little else is. The overall European co-ordination role was returned to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade last year and a fortnight ago, the Taoiseach placed the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, in charge of co-ordinating the Government's Brexit response, which was a significant change from his predecessor's position, who placed the Department of the Taoiseach in the lead role in this co-ordination. Can the Taoiseach explain the exact responsibilities of the two Departments on Brexit, and when the long-delayed studies on Brexit staffing needs will be finalised and published?

In the Taoiseach's six years in government, no one has ever doubted the ability of his staff to promote him in the media. What is less obvious is an engagement with the hard substance of policy. It was interesting to hear that the Taoiseach has not yet identified what advisers he will be selecting. Is he in a position to outline the policy-related roles he will assign to advisers or where he might take on advice?

Following on from Deputy Howlin's question on the Ministers of State, is the Taoiseach in a position to say which two Ministers of State will get the allowance and which two will not? Why will it take three or four weeks to get legal clarity on this? Surely this is a straightforward issue one way or the other. Could the Taoiseach indicate to us what advices he has received on this issue already?

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