Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I wish to announce, for the information of the Dáil, that having informed the President that Dáil Éireann had approved my nomination of Deputies to be members of the Government, the President, on 17 December 2022, appointed them accordingly; that, on the same date, I nominated Deputy Micheál Martin to be the Tánaiste and assigned the Department of Foreign Affairs and Defence to him; that, on the same date, I assigned the other Departments of State to the other members of Government as follows: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and Department of Transport to Deputy Eamon Ryan; the Department of Finance to Deputy Michael McGrath; the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to Deputy Paschal Donohoe; the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to Deputy Simon Coveney; the Department of Education to Deputy Norma Foley; the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to Deputy Catherine Martin; the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Deputy Darragh O'Brien; the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Rural and Community Development to Deputy Heather Humphreys; the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to Deputy Charlie McConalogue; the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to Deputy Roderic O'Gorman; the Department of Health to Deputy Stephen Donnelly; and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Justice to Deputy Simon Harris; that Deputy Helen McEntee is a member of the Government without portfolio until her return from maternity leave next summer; that on 17 December 2022, the President appointed Mr. Rossa Fanning SC as Attorney General; that, on the same date, the Government appointed Deputy Hildegarde Naughton to be Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip, Deputy Jack Chambers to be Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for international and road transport and logistics and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for postal policy, and Senator Pippa Hackett to be Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for land use and biodiversity; and that on 21 December 2022, on my nomination, the Government appointed Deputy Naughton, in addition to her current responsibilities, as Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for public health, well-being and the national drugs strategy; Deputy Peter Burke as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for EU affairs and also at the Department of Defence; Deputy Patrick O'Donovan as Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with special responsibility for the Gaeltacht; Deputy Ossian Smyth as Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with special responsibility for public procurement and e-government and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for communications and the circular economy; Deputy Josepha Madigan as Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for special education and inclusion; Deputy Martin Heydon as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for research and development, farm safety and new market development; Deputy Anne Rabbitte as Minister of State at the Department of Health and at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with special responsibility for disability; Deputy Sean Fleming as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for international development and diaspora; Deputy Joe O'Brien as Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and at the Department of Social Protection with special responsibility for community development and charities, and also at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with special responsibility for integration; Deputy Kieran O'Donnell as Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for local government and planning; Deputy Malcolm Noonan as Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for heritage and electoral reform; Deputy Damien English as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for employment affairs and retail business and at the Department of Social Protection; Deputy Mary Butler as Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for mental health and older people; Deputy Thomas Byrne as Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and at the Department of Education with special responsibility for sport and physical education; Deputy Niall Collins as Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with special responsibility for skills and further education; Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill as Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for financial services, credit unions and insurance; Deputy James Browne as Minister of State as the Department of Justice with special responsibility for law reform and youth justice; Deputy Dara Calleary as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for trade promotion and digital transformation; that on 12 January 2023, I accepted the resignation of Deputy Damien English as Minister of State and that on 13 January 2023, on my nomination, the Government appointed Deputy Neale Richmond as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for employment affairs and retail business. He is also assigned to the Department of Social Protection. Arrangements to formalise the additional responsibilities that I announced for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with regard to national development plan, NDP, delivery are now being finalised.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I will raise a point of clarification. On Thursday, there will be questions to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Taoiseach has indicated that the Minister, Deputy McGrath, will now take responsibility for the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO. Will he be here tomorrow? We understand he will be in Davos.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I think he is back. However, whether he is or not, we will have to do the transfer order which is not yet done. That may take a couple of days.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Who will answer questions?

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Who is taking questions tomorrow?

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Questions on ethics and SIPO.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Questions will be as scheduled. The transfer of responsibilities has not happened yet but it will.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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So there is no Minister accountable to the Dáil on those questions tomorrow. Is that what the Taoiseach is saying?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, remains responsible until the transfer order is done.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, answer questions on ethics legislation tomorrow which he stated publicly that he has recused himself from?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Taoiseach has answered the question.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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With respect, Ceann Comhairle, I have put questions down, as has my colleague, Deputy Farrell.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Well-----

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Just for clarification, the Minister has publicly said he has recused himself from ethics legislation and policy matters. Can I ask the Taoiseach whether the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, will be here tomorrow to answer questions we have tabled on ethics legislation and SIPO?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister has recused himself from making any decisions with regard to SIPO or ethics policy. He can, of course, answer questions about it as can I or anyone. The transfer of functions, of responsibilities, is a legal document which has to be prepared and signed. The Attorney General is working on that now.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is a farce.