The programme for Government speaks a lot about transparency and accountability, as well as public service reform as mentioned on page 119 of the document specifically. I do not want to address the matter the Tánaiste was discussing in his radio interview last Sunday but, unfortunately, he said about his authority in terms of the public service:

We do not have authority over civil servants. We have no power to reprimand them or discipline them.

Is the Tánaiste aware of his responsibility and authority, given under section 2 of the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924? If he is, is he not aware that he and his fellow Ministers, as the corporations sole, can and should be responsible for disciplining or examining the acts of Secretaries General in particular should misdemeanours occur? The Public Service Management Act 1997 and the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 do not apply to disciplining them. Is it the Government's position that Secretaries General, earning between €190,000 and €300,000 per year, are, in effect, responsible to nobody when misdemeanours occur, be they impromptu or premeditated?

I thank the Deputy. I am very much aware of the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, as is anybody who has had the privilege of holding ministerial office. I know it confers enormous responsibility on Ministers but it does not confer on them the authority to discipline or reprimand civil servants.

They are responsible to nobody then.

There are processes in place.

We just give them a €90,000 bonus or put them into ambassadorial roles around the world.

Could we allow the Tánaiste to reply?

He has not given an answer.

As I said, when it comes to any public servant, there are-----

Under what Act? I am specifically referring to Secretaries General.

Deputy MacSharry, you are now eating into colleagues' time. Please.

I get very little time. Other colleagues are up and down like a jack-in-the-box.

The Deputy is eating into colleagues' time on the double now. Please have a little respect.

Would you ask the Tánaiste to answer the question? What is the Act?

I ask you to desist from interrupting. I will now move to the next speaker.