Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I have listened to various contributions on the Cabinet reshuffle. I do not see a problem with the multidisciplinary approach that has been taken, with skills being associated with education. As somebody who works in the third level sector, that is appropriate. Asking glib questions such as, "Who is the Minister for jobs?", as we have heard in the media, does not get to the heart of what is needed. We talk about multidisciplinary approaches and joined-up thinking but if we intend to operate in a sophisticated way, it makes sense that different Departments will have responsibility for different aspects of an issue. The divvying out of skills training to the Department of Education and Skills is quite appropriate, with other matters being the responsibility of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. The Taoiseach has been somewhat unimaginative given that he was appointed in an imaginative way when he was only 32 years old by the former Taoiseach, Mr. Albert Reynolds. He has shown little of that spirit, although that is not to criticise the quality of the Ministers currently in office.

I compliment the Leader on the times he has responded to requests for debates on specific issues, but there has been less delivery when we have sought debates about the bigger philosophical questions. Such debates could be a credit to the Seanad. What I have in mind is a debate about our political system, how it is working, the quality of political debate at present and whether it is fit for purpose. We could also have debates on the media. We have asked previously in the Seanad to debate such issues and have been given promises but no such debates have been scheduled. An example of the need for this debate is the kerfuffle about Deputy Leo Varadkar's comment about the former Taoiseach, Dr. Garret FitzGerald. It was interesting to watch his party criticise him. Somebody who thinks that Dr. Garret FitzGerald-----