Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I formally give the Cathaoirleach notice that in this House Fine Gael will be tabling a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, as precedent allows. Yesterday in the Dáil we saw the half-hearted efforts of a Green Party Minister in defending the Minister. The Green Party prides itself on promoting ethics and standards in public life, but it seems that not all of its Members on the Government benches are as willing to express confidence in the Minister, on whom the Leader heaped praise here yesterday, yet we had Senator Boyle using Twitter and Facebook to tell the world and the media that he had no confidence in the Minister, that he believed he had been compromised and that the Green Party had been bounced into supporting the Government. Will the Leader clarify whether Senator Boyle has informed him that he intends to resign from the House? Is the Leader concerned that the Deputy Leader who was appointed by a former Taoiseach does not support a member of the Cabinet and believes he should not be allowed to continue as a Minister? What does this say about Government cohesion? On the two seats given to the Green Party by the former Taoiseach, is the Leader not embarrassed that one incumbent resigned, claiming the Green Party had become a mere extension of Fianna Fáil, while the other is now criticising a member of the Cabinet and seeking his resignation?