Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

Oireachtas reform was a major cornerstone of the new Government and I agree with it. The Government tried to reform the committee system but it rowed back on it. That is okay because one will not get everything right the first time. I welcome the announcement of two new committees to allow them to work better and more effectively. Let us think about what is happening with the Committee of Public Accounts where two Ministers, Deputies Rabbitte and Howlin, are both saying that perhaps we will have a rerun of the investigations referendum to give additional powers to committees. This is supported by Senator Bacik. The public decided, very clearly, that it did not want additional powers to be granted to the Oireachtas. Then two Ministers impugn the integrity of the independent chair of the Committee of Public Accounts. They impugned his integrity and also undermined the independence of the committee.