Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I fully respect that the Minister has engaged, as is his right and obligation as a Minister. This committee's right, separate from the Minister, is also to engage. Two Deputies are suggesting that because Horse Racing Ireland is getting this money, before we vote this money through, we as a committee - nothing to do with the Minister - invite representatives of Horse Racing Ireland to appear before the committee on Tuesday morning to explain their attitude to us - not to the Minister - on why it took the Minister to change their minds. In the afternoon as part of our meeting, if the Minister of State attends, it will take only five minutes because our debate will not be with the Minister or the Minister of State.

We know where the Minister stands and we congratulate him on that. This will be taken as a motion without debate in the Dáil on Tuesday afternoon. There is no technical problem with this. I do not know why we have wasted so much time this morning when all the committee needs to do is invite representatives of Horse Racing Ireland to appear before the committee on Tuesday morning, have our chat with them and then, in the afternoon, the Minister of State attends, we bless the thing in five minutes and we move on.