Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

It never ceases to amaze me how one can have a translation of an Act imposed as a justification of a criticism of a subsequent Act. This was done under the 2001 Act and the powers already existed. What Deputy Boyle objects to in the 2003 Act was already present in the 2001 Act, which he does not criticise. This was done under the 2001 Act. It is within the power of the Minister under the 2001 Act as long as procedure is followed.

There is no question of repaying the disbursed money as we will not approach the people in the rural social scheme asking them to reimburse money so we can give it back to the dormant accounts fund. The money was spent on social and economic disadvantage. The power to do so was included in the 2001 Act. The Comptroller and Auditor General highlighted the procedure, which we have now corrected.

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