John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I will be brief to afford the Minister, Deputy Cullen, the opportunity to speak. I speak primarily as a member of the Committee of Public Accounts. I am very disappointed that the motion has been tabled and signed by other members of this committee. The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, which forms the basis of the motion, is traditionally discussed in detail by the Committee of Public Accounts. Those who signed the motion for tonight's debate have tried to use the Comptroller and Auditor General's report for political purposes and gain rather than to address the issues dealt with therein.

As a member of the Fianna Fáil Party and this side of the House, I make no apology for saying I do not stand over the abuse, waste or squandering of public money. It is appropriate that the issues raised in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report for 2004 would be addressed fully by the Committee of Public Accounts. The motion tries to go a step too far in the judgments it makes before the committee has had an opportunity to address the issues. When Deputy Burton spoke last night on the motion, she mentioned that the Comptroller and Auditor General's report has been produced year on year, and yet the issues addressed in the report continue to be identified. I am disappointed by the Opposition's attempt to deal with the issues generally and to attribute political responsibility before they have been addressed specifically. That is by no means appropriate.

See this speech in context