Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Was the Government co-ordination committee convened to deal with the issues regarding the Minister, Deputy Cowen? Is that the mechanism the Taoiseach uses to brief his partners in Government on all of the serious issues arising, including the contested Garda PULSE records that suggest the Minister sought to evade a Garda checkpoint? The Taoiseach has said the co-ordination committee involves not only the leaders but the Secretary Generals of their Departments. I understand the Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach is the only Secretary General present, although the other leaders' advisers attend. The Taoiseach says it is a mechanism by which to sort out problems and to ensure that things do not get overly contentious or overheated. Will the Taoiseach talk us through that committee? I presume its first task, as the Taoiseach has only just entered government, was to deal with the situation regarding the Minister, Deputy Cowen. How did that work?

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