Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

The scaffold was only half built when they had to leave. It is truly farcical to have Dáil Éireann, the representative assembly of the nation, tied up for hours today and on further days discussing this Bill for nothing when so many pressing issues should be brought before the Dáil. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is like a man at the church door, about to be married, but unable to get his bride to be to the church on time — she is locked up in a storeroom somewhere — and yet he insists on putting us through the ceremony anyway. Talk about being all dressed up and nowhere to go.

This is a farce. A number of Deputies have mentioned the word "surreal" and it is true. In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the Cheshire cat begins to disappear in the course of the story and all that is eventually left is a grin. The reason for this Bill has disappeared; it has melted before our faces. All we are left with is the Bill and another bill to the taxpayer for €50 million. It is incredible. We could debate a disability Bill or a Bill controlling land prices. There are a number of issues that Dáil Éireann could debate profitably. However, sitting for days on end to deal with a matter that is now irrelevant as far as the local and European elections in June are concerned is outrageous.

It is becoming characteristic of this Minister that he is increasingly involved with matters that turn out to be posthumous. He has wasted €1.5 million on an advertising campaign called "Race Against Waste" based on fraudulent impressions being given to frighten the public into paying his double taxes. If we had any effective leadership in Government, the Minister would not be sitting where he is at present. We would have someone else who would be trying to withdraw this Bill as gracefully as possible. I agree with the Deputy Gilmore's amendment that "AN COIMISIÚN UM VÓTÁIL LEICTREONACH" should be inserted in the title.

Níl creidiúint ar bith ag baint anois leis an mBille seo. Tá sé dochreidte go bhfuil Dáil Éireann sáite inniu, agus go mbeidh sé arís laethanta eile, ag déanamh díospóireachta ar rud nach dtarlóidh — b'fhéidir nach dtarlóidh sé ariamh — nuair atá rudaí tromchúiseacha eile ar cheart go mbéadh an Dáil tógtha suas leo. Tá an vótáil leictreonach curtha ar ceal dos na toghcháin áitiúla agus don toghchán Eorpach ach tá an tAire go fóill ag iarraidh an Bille seo a bhrú tríd an Dáil. Ba cheart deireadh a chur leis an ráiméis seo agus gnó éigin a mbéadh tairbhe leis do mhuintir na hÉireann a chur os comhair na Dála.

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