Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

This amendment goes to the core of this Bill because it deals with the composition of the new board and the emasculation of the old one. Yesterday, I said this is a reversal of Government policy for many years. There are probably more boards in this country than in many other countries of our size. There are boards to deal with every matter which does not seem to cause any problem. They seem to be operating very effectively. We all remember when planning appeals went directly to the Minister of the day and he or she had the last word on planning permission. In our combined wisdom the Members of this House did not think that was the right way to proceed so we established An Bord Pleanála. Now one applies for planning permission and if anyone is unhappy with the decision it is referred to An Bord Pleanála, which makes a decision and that is usually accepted. That system seems to be operating very effectively.

This amendment refers to the composition of the new board. The existing board has done its work very well. It has issued regular reports which we appreciate and value. I have not heard any great criticism of how it has been carrying our its work or duties so far. The new board will be chosen by the Minister and his colleagues. We do not yet know who will be on that board but whoever is on the board will have no powers whatsoever. The Minister will have the last word. I do not know what will be the function of the new board. There will be nine or ten people on the board and they will travel to Dublin regularly to meet. Is there need for such a board when the Minister will have the power to make decisions?

The heart of the matter is that the board is being dissolved and a new board, which will be just a fig leaf, will be established in its place. The powers will revert to the Government. This reverses what has happened for many years where boards were granted powers. Boards deal with several Departments. CIE, for example, has a board. The National Roads Authority does its work effectively. There are many other areas where boards exist, but this is a reversal of a policy established two or three years ago by the former Minister for Finance. At the time he was adamant that the system should be operated in this way so there would be no accusations of a slush fund or irregularities. The position has changed in two or three years. The philosophy behind the disbursement of these funds has changed.

We discussed this at length on Committee Stage, but if the provisions of this amendment are not taken into consideration, the entire philosophy behind the disbursement of funds will be changed. It will politicise the process instead of leaving it to the independent board. I feel very strongly about this, as does my party. We hope that the Minister yields somewhat on this issue.

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