Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I agree with everything my colleague, Deputy Howlin, has said and with the views expressed by all speakers from the Opposition side of the House. Everybody is gobsmacked and flabbergasted by the blatant introduction of this Bill, the stated intention of which is to remove from an independent board the responsibility to disburse the windfall funds from dormant accounts and to put that power within the political patronage of the relevant Minister, in this case, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív.

The Bill's purpose is blatantly stated in its Title:

An Act to amend the Dormant Accounts Acts 2001 and 2003 to provide for the establishment of a body to be known as the Dormant Accounts Board and to define its functions; to reform the processes by which decisions are made about disbursements, and moneys are disbursed, from the Dormant Accounts Fund; and to provide for the dissolution of the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board and for related matters.

The legislation abolishes the existing board and makes provisions and plans as to how the money will be allocated and spent within a straight political context.

The new board will consist of a chairman and ten members, all appointed by the Minister. It seems no independent nominating body could be trusted to make these appointments and no community organisation trusted to make a nomination. The function of the board is to present a plan to the Minister who may then amend it and must approve it. Moreover, the Minister may also determine the plan. Sections 42(4) and 42(7) essentially stipulate that the board may make a proposal to the Minister but it is the Minister alone who disposes in regard to the plan itself. This is before we even come to the process of disbursement.

The parameters of the programme, plan and projects, therefore, will be within the gift of the Minister. The legislation proposes an emasculated board which will be appointed by the Minister and tightly under his or her reign, and that the Minister may change the board's plan if he or she deems it unsatisfactory.

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