Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I have never described Deputy Cuffe as a realist. I am too friendly with him to describe him as I think he is but a realist is not one of the descriptions I would use.

Nobody has lobbied me on this issue and there has been no general lobbying of which I am aware. It is complex, as is recognised in the body of the directive. Deputy Cuffe is correct, we should get this up and running as soon as possible but it is difficult.

Deputy Cuffe asked about auditors. There will be no surplus in the European Union, there will probably be shortages in that regard. That is why we must undertake some training on the issue.

To answer Deputy Gilmore, it is not possible retrospectively to change the existing arrangements. His point about public knowledge may or may not be correct. My Department and I are trying to put in train the operations which will bring this into effect as expeditiously as possible. It is very complex and cannot be done overnight.

See this speech in context