Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)

Absolutely not. It is meant in the best possible taste. I am delighted to welcome the Minister and this Bill which places public service reform functions on a statutory basis for the first time. It seems extraordinary that it is the first time this has happened, so we welcome it as significant, albeit technical, legislation. There will be many opportunities in the months ahead for actions on the part of the Minister to be reviewed and discussed in this House. At that point I am sure we will all partake in such discussions in the spirit in which he himself would wish.

The urgency of this task is also highlighted by the situation in Greece as it edges towards potential default. The idea that we will not give them any more money rung loudly in their ears. That means they cannot pay their police, doctors and teachers. Effectively, the country cannot function. We all know how it feels when one's computer collapses for ten minutes. One goes into a complete high-octane fever. One can imagine if that were to happen to the country. It is simply unimaginable. We are making sure this country does not default. In order to do that, we have to own up to our debts and deal with them. That involves reviewing all the expenditure and calculating where money can be allocated, reallocated, withdrawn or increased. This is part of what the Department of public enterprise and reform will be doing. It is a large part of the task of the Minister, Deputy Howlin. It must be considered against that background. We do not wish to default. We do not wish to have a second programme of EU-IMF assistance.

The decision of the Minister of State, Deputy Penrose, to stop an investigation into local authority planning was criticised this morning. I have spent years investigating things. I have to say I enjoy a bit of an investigation. However, I can see that in this case, the Minister of State is wisely saying we need to spend the money elsewhere. A series of such decisions will have to be taken. We have to accept that this is what will be happening. Money will be reallocated or withdrawn. It is called "housekeeping" or "balancing the books". I welcome the fact that the Minister, Deputy Howlin, has taken to this task with such enthusiasm. It is not what we have seen in the past. If we are to find our way out of where we are, we will have to balance the books. The Minister has pledged to be as fair as he can when he balances the books. That will be a difficult task because different people have different interpretations of fairness. We accept the Minister's pledge in good faith because the Labour Party's principles of fairness and equality are at the core of his endeavours. I have faith that fairness will be a hallmark of the spirit of the work he does along with his officials. We know the room for manoeuvre in the future is small because the EU-IMF deal left us in no doubt about that. Every effort we make to balance the books makes the room for manoeuvre a little bigger. We have to welcome the establishment of this Ministry and the work that will go with it because it will expand the room for manoeuvre, albeit in a small way.

At a time when we want to move confidently at home, in Europe and in the world, we would do well to say we are trying to put an end to the profligacy, sloppy housekeeping and lack of joined-up spending that we had for 14 years. I welcome the establishment of the Department of public expenditure and reform, which will be responsible for public spending and accountable for the advice that is given on public spending. It is a first step towards more transparent, more efficient and more responsible government, which is the sort of government I want to see. Our citizens are demanding such government and they deserve to have it. I warn that it will not be easy. Reform is extremely painful. There will be harmony and there will be disagreement. There will be argument and there will be compromise. This Government has pledged over and again to take action in this area. The Tánaiste, the Taoiseach and the various Ministers have committed to overhauling how government is done in this country. As we stand and sit here today to talk about this Bill, part of our responsibility is to encourage the reform of government at every possible stage. I welcome this Bill and the Minister's efforts. I wish him well.