Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I do not know. Deputy Dennehy referred to the money that has been spent on infrastructure. The local authorities are getting funding. However, as has been revealed today, local authorities are the fastest growing industry in the world. While every other company is downsizing, local authorities are upsizing. What is happening cannot continue. It was reported today that 20,000 public servants were employed in the last year. What happens when public servants are employed? Taxes must be raised on cars, directly and indirectly, to pay their salaries.

Local authorities have gone out of control. They are no longer answerable to this House and have their own auditing systems. It is time for the House, the Committee of Public Accounts and the Comptroller and Auditor General to deal with them.

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