Taoiseach says Government’s leadership has not changed

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has told the Dáil that “there is no change” in the leadership of the Government.

The Fine Gael leader was speaking on Tuesday after he was told he should inform the Dáil if there were to be changes at the head of Government or to the Cabinet.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin had reminded Mr Kenny that the nominee for Taoiseach is approved by the Dáil.

Mr Martin said Mr Kenny has been elected by the House in May, and “then you put forward a range of Ministers to the House for approval, which is how it’s done.

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“A number of Ministers you appointed have quite publicly set a timeline for you leaving office,” he said.

He warned that “if there is to be a change, if new Ministers are to be appointed, that would need the approval of the House”.

Mr Martin said that “if there are any plans for a change or any plans in relation to that, that perhaps you owe it to the House to make the House aware of anything that might change the situation in terms of the implementation of Government”.

He said the question was a matter “central to the entire Dáil”, as opposed to “just one political party”.

Mr Kenny replied: “Let me assure you, Deputy Martin, that there is no change to the Government.”

Minority Government

He said the Government was a minority partnership that was reliant on the Independent Alliance and supported by the confidence-and-supply agreement with Fianna Fáil.

Mr Kenny said: “There is no change. The position is that Government are focused on doing the job for the people of the country, as was our remit when we were elected.”

He said the programme for Government contained a serious agenda.