Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

Many people will be taken by, and disappointed by, the long pause before the Tánaiste's initial answer to that question. This is a very serious issue. The reason it is so serious and important is that if the very head of a government is involved in actions of this kind, it gives license to everybody else in government to act in the same way. It gives license to everybody else, at all levels of the public service and the Civil Service, to act in this way. It is critical that the Taoiseach leads from the top. The truth of the matter is that if this action goes uncensured by this Chamber, by the Tánaiste's party, and by his colleagues in government, there will be license to deliver in this manner in future.

With regard to Fianna Fáil's involvement in this, many will feel that the Tánaiste and the former Minister for Health have kicked the political shins of Fianna Fáil in this Government for a long time. They will be surprised at the manner in which the Taoiseach has ridden to his rescue in this instance. Many people in Fianna Fáil will see how Ministers and Fine Gael have circled the wagons around him when Deputies Cowen and Calleary were left out in the cold.

With regard to the Green Party, there comes a tipping point when any small party involved in government has to make a decision as to whether continuing on with an underhanded, deceitful process is best for it and for the country. There may be a cost to calling it out now but it will be a short-term cost. If it does not call it out now and allows it to proceed, it will be locked into this type of governance for the coming years. The cost of that will, in the long term, far outweigh any short-term cost in this regard.

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