Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

Competition is independent. It is independent of resources, which is the core problem. Until such time as the Government puts resources into the Competition Authority, it will not be able to do its job. It is a nonsense for the Minister of State to say that because we are in receivership we cannot put money into areas like this. A cost benefit analysis of all investments is undertaken. If the cost to the State is X and the benefit is a multiple of X, it would be ludicrous for the Government not to make the investment.

The Government, through its State agencies and local authorities, is spending over the odds in respect of raw materials for construction, etc. A minuscule investment in the Competition Authority would result in a return of multiples of that investment to the State coffers. For the Government to refuse to do so, when the cost benefit analysis is clear, shows the ridiculousness of its approach. The Government is trying to save a penny when the spending of that penny could result in the return of a pound.

See this speech in context