Well, it’s been an interesting week in Leinster House, with many in Fine Gael probably happy to see the back of it.
While Enda Kenny’s days as Taoiseach seem to be numbered, Richard Bruton is taking Leaders’ Questions today.
Christina Finn here to bring you through Leaders’ Questions.
Last night’s Fine Gael Parliamentary Party meeting was interesting by all accounts, with Kenny being told to give a definitive timeline for his departure as party leader.
You can catch up with all that here:
Meanwhile, Cabinet have agreed the terms of reference for the Tribunal into the Maurice McCabe controversy.
Fianna Fáil’s Dara Calleary mentions it and also takes a playful dig at the lineup at the frontbench – Bruton, Harris and Varadkar – pointing out this is the competition.
Calleary wants a commitment that a Commission of Investigation be carried out into Project Eagle. He says Finance Minister Michael Noonan has swayed from this approach.
Bruton says Noonan has been very open and transparent about the issue in the Public Accounts Committee.
Mary Lou McDonald is up now and wants to know what agreements were made with the Independent Alliance to keep Fine Gael in government.
She wants to know the details of whatever deal was made and when Taoiseach will vacate the office of Taoiseach?
Burton says they have a programme for government that all members of government have signed up to.
“So there is no special deal with the independents,” says Bruton.
The Independent Alliance did make an announcement yesterday that they had got commitment that an independent expert is to review the gardaí.
He says whistleblowers were mentioned in the programme for government and they are living up to it.
How can you plausibly say that Enda Kenny should remain, she tells Bruton.
She wants to know when he is heading off. She also says that FG need to put on the record if there was a special deal given to the Independent Alliance for their support in the motion of confidence last night.
Bruton says Sinn Féin criticise everything and support nothing. He also throws in a Teddy Roosevelt quote for good measure.
Mary Lou McDonald is taking issue with the Ceann Comhairle and says he has a role to ensure questions are answered. (Bruton made no mention of when his party leader will be stepping down).
Now Bruton is defending the new rental strategy and says there is protection for tenants in place.
Micheal Healy Rae is now raising the issue of a medicine that he says is being withdrawn from patients.
It costs €100,000 per patient, he says.
“It has been life changing for patients,” says Healy Rae, who says the life-saving drug has been used for decades by those with emphysema
If the drug is taken away from them, they will slowly fade away.
It is keeping them alive.
He says without it they are fighting for every breath without it.
He also wants the government to tackle the costs that pharma companies are charging for these drugs.
“Sit down and say to them for God’s sake, reduce the costs,” he says.
Bruton says he has read reports about this drug and says there is an independent process in place to assess the impact versus the cost.
The minister says it is down to the HSE to make the decision, but it hasn’t yet been made. Up until now, the drug has been given on “compassionate grounds”.
He too wants companies to start addressing the cost of their drugs, and says the health minister is doing deals with other countries to try and reduce costs.
It is a small amount of people, says Healy Rae.
Nothing could be more important than saving peoples’ lives.
Burton says he agrees. “It is very unfair of the company that they would then seek to withdraw it.”
Calling it a “very unfair approach”, he says the company has a responsibility here.
That’s it for Leaders’ Questions today, they’re moving on with talks about promised legislation.
You can continue watching here.
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