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

She is the Minister in her own Department and is doing an exceptional job.

Deputy Howlin complained about the Government claiming credit for anything that is good but not wanting to associate itself with things that are bad. Often, when I am in this House, it feels like the shoe is on the other foot. The Government gets no credit for all the things it is doing and the successes it has achieved, whether that is employment at a ten-year low, a budget that is balanced, or perhaps even in surplus, ahead of schedule this year, rising living standards, falling poverty and so many other things I could list. The Government is solely to blame for everything that is going wrong and nobody else has any responsibility, not the Opposition, local authorities - nobody. I can understand Deputy Howlin's frustration but he can be sure that it works both ways.

The Government does not have any agreement with Deputy Naughten at present. As is the case with all Independents, we do our best to assist them with queries they may raise, particularly about their own constituency.

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