Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The legislation that is currently progressing through the Oireachtas is distinct and different from the specific constitutional questions that are the subject of the two judicial review cases before the High Court. They are being fully defended by the Attorney General. The practice and procedure over many decades has been the attendance at Cabinet of Ministers of State. The constitutionality of that continued practice is being fully defended by the Government and the Attorney General. The legislation that is before us is distinct from that. It relates to additional Ministers of State with new areas of priority and new responsibilities. Sinn Féin's election manifesto reflects the appointment of extra Ministers of State with additional areas of responsibility and priority. It would be interesting to see which Minister of State Sinn Féin would remove in order to allow for the appointment of the Ministers of State it has suggested appointing, because it has not been clear on that and did not refer to any reduction in the number of Ministers of State in its manifesto or which ones it would drop to allow for the those it suggests should be appointed, which it is entitled to do. In that context, it would be interesting to see which Ministers of State Deputy Farrell would remove.

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