Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I am glad the Minister offered to come to committee and it is the place to discuss this. However, the Minister should do a cost analysis on these groups. The main concern is that one State agency is paying the other to keep the offices open. This is not why the Minister established them. His intent was to help create employment in the regions and this is not happening. We need an investigation to examine what agencies exist, what are their functions and with whom have they dealt. The reaction I get from people in my community and throughout the country is that they want this rationalised and done so quickly.

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