Dáil debates

Wednesday, 7 May 2008

2:30 pm

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Where will the mandate for change come from? Where will the mandate for renewal come from? It has to come from us. We are the tribunes of the people, elected to represent the public. The decisions we make today will make a difference. Will we give a mandate for real change to someone? Will we commit to genuine change in the way we behave? The reforms we demand, the standards we insist on, the solidarity we espouse and the priorities we set will determine the direction this country takes. If the ground for change is not staked out today, it will not happen tomorrow and it will not happen the day after. We cannot persist with the style of government we have got used to in this House. It involves taking the lazy option of creating new agencies for every problem and putting hacks on such boards without regard to the skills needed. The budgetary system being used does not hunt down waste and does not reward performance. When times get tough, the weak and vulnerable have to take the hit.

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