Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is a matter of grave concern that this Government is now dependent, in a formal way, on the support of Deputy Lowry. Having said that, I also find it disturbing that the Minister of State at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Breen, has not explained himself to either House of this Oireachtas in respect of his engagement with Mr. McCourt and the former Minister, Deputy Naughten, which was the cause of the latter's resignation.I consider it outrageous that the Minister of State would arrange for a senior Minister to travel over 170 miles to attend a dinner with a constituent of his yet we are supposed to believe that they never discussed the contract or the tendering and to accept that that is okay because the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, has no involvement in that Department. If the former Minister, Deputy Naughten, resigned on the basis of inappropriate contact with Mr. McCourt then, surely, the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, must at least account to this House or the Lower House for his behaviour if we are to have continued confidence in his capacity to fulfil his duties. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, to come to the House and account for his actions. If he has nothing to hide, there is no reason for the Leader of the House not to facilitate that request.