Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Minister said we will not receive any more glossy brochures from the Equality Authority. He has decided to kill off the authority. Will he explain to the House in a mature way how he will save on rent in Dublin by leasing an additional premises in Roscrea? How will he save money by creating a parallel organisation in Tipperary? Is this not a political stunt and a double whammy? He has cut the authority's budget by 43% while pandering to his former ministerial colleague, Michael Smith, by decentralising it to Roscrea. When Mr. Smith left the scene, the Minister responded to Deputy Lowry's representations and in case this was not looked after, he appointed the Deputy's election agent to the board. This is a vindictive stunt to kill off the authority. Why does the Minister not fess up rather than come into the House to tell us about glossy brochures and savings of €20,000 on publication and so on? Who authorised the leasing of premises in Dublin in the first place? The Minister was in Government. He has been walked into this and he ought to retrace his steps.

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