John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I am especially disappointed by those in the Opposition who are members of the Committee of Public Accounts who signed the motion, such as Deputy Boyle, Deputy Rabbitte, who is not here tonight, and Deputy Noonan. These are members of the Committee of Public Accounts who will address the specific issues in the coming months.

Not one issue raised in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report for 2004 has yet come before the Committee of Public Accounts. The manner in which the motion has been discussed before the House appears to indicate that these issues are highlighted but nobody does anything about it. That is factually incorrect. The issues raised come up year in, year out and they are addressed by the Committee of Public Accounts. Departments have accordingly made changes to the way in which they operate. The Committee of Public Accounts has acknowledged the changes that have been made.

I do not stand over squander or waste by any means. The committee will address the first of the issues raised in this report tomorrow. The issue at stake is not which politician decided X, Y or Z, it is to ask the Accounting Officer why the policy that was in place was not adhered to. Bonuses and promotions often come up for discussion. We must address the issue of accountability. Deputy Boyle knows this as well as I do. Many of the issues under discussion are the responsibility of Accounting Officers and they must account for why certain matters have gone astray.

I am conscious that the Minister, Deputy Cullen, is anxious to make his contribution. I would not like the debate to end with the belief that the issues raised, which the Committee of Public Accounts will address over the next six or nine months, are new. They are not. No matter what Government has been in power, the Comptroller and Auditor General has produced reports, be they related to the introduction of the PULSE system or the collection of taxes back in the mid-1990s when other parties were in Government, and if we look back over recent years the same issues have come forward time and again. It is the responsibility of the Committee of Public Accounts to address these issues to the relevant Accounting Officers. The motion tonight tries to go a step beyond that, to say that the role of the Committee of Public Accounts is not important.

I did not count the names of all those who signed the motion but I wonder how many of them read the Comptroller and Auditor General's report, which is the basis of tonight's motion. How many of them will ever address a single issue raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General? I cannot understand this attempt to bypass the procedure of the Committee of Public Accounts which addresses these issues. I have served on the Committee of Public Accounts for three years. In that time, many Departments have acknowledged its recommendations and findings and have implemented the relevant changes. I am disappointed that the motion was brought to the House. I support the Government's amendment to the motion.

See this speech in context