Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to stress my deep surprise and disappointment at the attitude of some of our MEPs to the appointment of the former Minister, Mr. Phil Hogan, as Commissioner. It is very unusual to see Irish people bad-mouthing their own when they are away from home. It is not done. As we say at home, you do not talk badly about your own when you are out of town. Mr. Hogan has come through the process like everybody else. He was a Minister of stature who, according to all reports, will have a great opportunity to get an important portfolio. At a time when Ireland really needs help, we should be pulling together and working together rather than having this very silly and disappointing carry-on.

As others have done, I congratulate and commiserate with those who were involved in the reshuffle last week. I welcome the appointment of Deputy Paschal Donohoe as the new Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, which is my brief in the House. Hopefully, he will be able to take a fresh and renewed look at the ongoing problem with the LNG project, which I know the Leader is sick of hearing about but which has taken a new turn lately with the involvement of people from the Emirates who have expressed some interest in getting involved. That might free things up a bit.

With regard to my county colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, I commiserate with him as he is no longer in Cabinet but congratulate him on his appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora. He is ideally suited to the job. He has travelled a lot through his football career and in his other Ministries. Knowing Jimmy, he puts everything into it, so I suggest the Minister for Finance would get a price for a second Government jet.