Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

In Government, as in business, one has to take some risks and we should encourage people who are intelligently examining the options. Given that technology is such a changing and moving target, there will be some element of risk but let us commend and acknowledge the good work that has been done. I could go on about the good examples that exist. There are good performers in the public service and the key objectives of Government must be to acknowledge that and to encourage more of it. Deciding on the system of government is the key target and challenge for any Government and we must now move on to the next stage.

A key issue is the question of identity. We can address the issue. Indeed, it has been seriously addressed. We can examine the systems of identity that are in existence, across a range of Departments, including the Departments of Health and Children, Social and Family Affairs and Finance. There are systems in place already. One objective is to use those systems. A number of experts are examining all sorts of options with regard to identity.

We do not have a culture of identity here, for various reasons. We have had debates on this issue in other fora. In central and eastern Europe, identity is a given with regard to their systems of government and societal objectives. That is part and parcel of the way they are. We have some ground to make up in that area but we will make it up.

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