Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I am glad of the opportunity to speak on this motion, which I fully support. As someone who spent a number of years on the Committee of Public Accounts, I regard the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General as being of critical importance. That committee is probably the only one with the resources necessary to undertake investigations of spending throughout the public sector. The Minister for Finance offered the services of other committees, such as the Committee on Finance and the Public Service. Unfortunately, those committees do not have the resources required to delve deeply enough into expenditure at that level. However, the Committee of Public Accounts does and has done a tremendous job. That applies to the staff and all involved with that committee over the years.

I smiled as I listened to the Minister, Deputy Cullen, recount all the good deeds that have been done. One simple matter that was mentioned earlier is e-voting. The issue with e-voting is not only the €50 million or €60 million spent but the contempt with which the Government proceeded to spend more and more money with no regard for what was happening. It also spent money on public relations exercises in an attempt to teach the public to use the machines, despite the fact that there was ample evidence in the public domain to the effect that the machines would not work.

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