Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I agree with Deputy Ring. It is true that if I ask an average partnership how much it is getting from my Department, and for example the answer is €1 million and I then ask how much the turnover is I will probably be told it is €3 million or €4 million and that it is great to have leveraged out this extra €3 million. The disappointing aspect is that it was leveraged out from other State agencies. The obvious question is whether it would be better to issue one cheque for €4 million and be done with it. Some of this can be rationalised and some cannot; I do not have a problem if it involves a community employment scheme.

I have been trying to simplify it step by step and eliminate duplication. In practice I have found that often it is easy to figure out where one would like to be and where one would have it if one were to start again. The problem is to find a path from where we are to where we want to go taking into account human issues. We have been proactive in examining this issue. Perhaps we can do more and I am open to suggestions.

The problem with an outside report is that sometimes when one receives it one finds that one does not agree with it. To a certain extent, we in this House should use our collective wisdom more. There was a big debate about what was stated about the first Dáil. I would like to see more interaction among ourselves with all of us bringing our wisdom from the ground. We should be the consultants because every Deputy knows what is going on in his or her constituency.

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