In the programme for Government there is a commitment that all parties to this agreement will operate on a good faith and no surprise basis for the term of the Oireachtas. There have been numerous questions in the past two years about arrangements with Independent Deputies in return for their support. When I asked recently about any deals the Government may have with Independent Deputies, the Taoiseach replied:

While there is no agreement or special deal with Deputy Michael Lowry or Deputy Seán Canney, they do support the programme for Government which they believe benefits the country and their constituencies. They generally vote with the Government . . . in the same way all Independent Deputies who support it do. That means that they are able to raise queries and issues, often related to their constituencies, on which we try to assist.

Therein lies the nub of the repeated questions. The Taoiseach is always at pains to say there is no written agreement between Deputies Lowry and Canney and the Government but there is certainly constant contact and the assistance that is provided for their constituencies is never discussed publicly. There are no records that we are made aware of so why does the Taoiseach continue to hide information about the unwritten deals with Deputies Lowry and Canney? We know Deputy Lowry has never voted against this Government or the previous one. Can the Taoiseach now commit to publishing information on the assistance given to Deputies Lowry, Canney and others, so that the unnecessary speculation can be cleared up in the interests of the taxpayers?

There is nothing to publish and nothing to hide. As I have told the Deputy previously we have no formal agreement, written or verbal, with any Independent Deputy. There are, however, several Independent Deputies who generally support the Government and because they generally support the Government, we are happy for them to raise constituency or policy issues with Ministers. If we can work on them we do, and where we cannot, we do not.

That is a deal.

That is a deal.

That is a deal.

It is a demand account.

Fianna Fáil is in the deal as well.

That is a deal over and above those who might get more and those who do not support the Government.

We have drawn the short straw.

That is public and should be there to be read. It is in black and white.

It is not a formal written or verbal agreement and there is certainly nothing to publish.

They get preferential treatment over those who do not support the Government.

It is also important to acknowledge that those Deputies who are not part of the Government, such as Deputies Lowry and Grealish and others, do not always vote with the Government. Deputy Martin mentioned Deputy Lowry, in particular. His voting record over the past two years has him voting against the Government on ten occasions, not voting at all on 71 and with the Government on 89.

That is a lot.

The Taoiseach was expecting that question today.