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

When the announcement was made about the appointment of additional special advisers for the Ministers of State there was something of a public outcry, not because people do not understand why Governments and Ministers need good advice but because the Government was, at the same time, moving to cut the pandemic unemployment payment. It did not recalibrate the payment but cut it. I want to place on the record, as per figures from the Taoiseach's Cabinet colleague, that those who will be in receipt of the reduced €300 pandemic unemployment payment on average earned €568 prior to the pandemic and the circumstances in which they could no longer go to work. That is an awful kick in the teeth and it is not sustainable. I remind the Taoiseach that MABS has forecast what it has described as a tsunami of household and domestic debt. We are facing into huge difficulties. The cut the Government has made will have a real price.

Will the Taoiseach explain how this unholy trinity of Government - the Taoiseach, An Tánaiste and the leader of the Green Party, the Minister, Deputy Ryan - works? He speaks a lot about collaboration and co-ordination. How does it work in practice? Will the Taoiseach explain this to us?

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