Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Increasingly and arguably, the main reason for reforming the Houses of the Oireachtas relates to the fact that the Cabinet and the Ministers in it use them as mere tools to facilitate their work. It should be the case that the Cabinet is the mechanism by means of which the will of the people, as advocated by the Parliament, is implemented. The Minister of State's interpretation, definition and view are nowhere near as important as the collective views of the 49 Members of this House who advocate the words and wishes of the vocational interests the represent. The other 11 - the Taoiseach's nominees - bring their own expertise to the matter. Their expertise was garnered in a variety of fields and they were, quite rightly, selected for appointment by the Taoiseach. With respect, I am not here to listen to the Minister of State. He is here to listen to me-----