Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

The reason the amendments were tabled is because a number of us served on the PAC for a long time and there were countless instances where various directions were given and powers devolved by Ministers to State board appointees, which the House approved, and the people proceeded, correctly, in their own way. However, not all decisions were proofed to the extent they should have been and the PAC was only able to examine the accounts after the event. Given the development of modern technology on a daily basis and the lessons learned from those experiences, the time has come to insert a provision in legislation to ensure the Houses of the Oireachtas are also informed about such decisions.

The approval of the Minister is required and I can well understand why Ministers who have served in Government for a long time feel that is sufficient. There is a tendency, as Ministers are driven everywhere in State cars and do not know what it is like to drive themselves, to become detached from reality and, as a result, to hand over control lock, stock and barrel to an agency.

The Minister asked why such a provision should apply to NORA. Why not NORA? This agency should be accountable, given that there could be a serious reliance on it in the event of fuel crisis in the future. Why not interpose here and now? The Minister also asked why the Houses of the Oireachtas should give approval if Members do not have the expertise in this area. Perhaps we have not but the Minister also has no such expertise nor has the Minister for Finance. We cannot keep up to speed with the machinations of the commercial world all the time. The Minister conceded that in one case, a referral to the Houses would be necessary.

I am speaking about the principle. Deputy Broughan is correct in that I tabled this raft of amendments because the approval of the Ministers for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and Finance were sought, but the approval of the Houses——

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