Leaders' response to judicial issue
After Leaders' Questions, the chair allows brief responses to the Taoiseach's earlier judicial remarks. Deputy Kelly attacks the Government's handling and asks why other leaders were not consulted; the Taoiseach and chair repeatedly cut across him and tell him to resume his seat.
That concludes Leaders' Questions. As Deputy McDonald responded to the Taoiseach's earlier remarks, it is only fair that I give a minute to Deputies Kelly, Catherine Murphy, Pringle and Micheal Healy-Rae to contribute.
Comment on this
I note the Taoiseach's statement earlier and I was surprised by it. The reason I was surprised was that the Taoiseach asked all leaders to come together last Friday. We all came together as an Oireachtas because this was not meant to be a Government versus Opposition issue but the Government has now issued a statement. However, the Government members are also Members of the Oireachtas.
The Oireachtas is going to have to take decisions on this issue. Rather than acting as he has done, it would have been polite and appropriate for the Taoiseach to have had his discussion, but then for him to have asked all the leaders of parties and groups to come together to discuss this issue again and to have formally stated what the view of the three leaders in the Government was. I state that because this approach undermines what we did. I would be reluctant to get involved in another group, if the Taoiseach were to do the same thing on another issue, because it seems as if last Friday was a fishing exercise. Why did the Taoiseach not call all the leaders to come together after today's Cabinet meeting, state what the Government believed and then ask us what we thought? We may have varying views.
I asked the Taoiseach a simple question last Friday, which I do not mind repeating now because I have said it in public so often. I asked for the other correspondence. I see no reason the Chief Justice cannot release the other correspondence, which would then give us a fuller picture of what has happened in this case. The Taoiseach did not even come back to me regarding that issue. I asked him to do so. I ask him to show me where he did.
Comment on this
I do not know the Taoiseach's position, because all I did was read it in the media.
Comment on this
Deputy Kelly knows my position on the separation of powers, because I made it clear to him.
Comment on this
That is nothing to do with the separation of powers.
Comment on this
The separation of powers is being misused by the Taoiseach's Government across a whole range of things, and he damn well knows it.
Comment on this
The separation of powers works both ways.
Comment on this
We must hold the Government to account for its decision-making as well. We will have another discussion on that issue later. Why did the Taoiseach not meet the other leaders before he did this?