Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I suggest the Deputy stops digging. The terms of this agreement were agreed by the Fine Gael-Labour-Democratic Left Government. It was in such a rush to agree it, a provision was included that the rents payable under the agreement would be provisional and the ultimate rent would be established by a system of arbitration. The arbitration went on and on. However, the providence of the erstwhile Government, which had signed the agreement, did not even provide for interest on the arbitrated sum. The taxpayer had to wait a long time for the actual rent, as opposed to the provisional rent, to come in. This agreement was put in place on the last day of office of the Fine Gael-Labour-Democratic Left Government.

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