Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I will respond to the Minister's statements on this specific issue rather than the need for regulation in general as we are not arguing against that. There is a big difference between a requirement on the authority to put an estimate together before it raises money through a levy, for us to see that estimate and for it to be approved by the Minister for Finance and, on the other hand, laying a levy order before the Houses of the Oireachtas after it has been made. That is the crux of the issue with regard to my amendment. We should require the authority to put detailed costings together on how it will spend money for a 12-month period and then allow it raise the money, as opposed to allowing it decide how much it will need without giving us any estimate or costings, with the levy put in place, the levy order put before the Houses of the Oireachtas and without the opportunity to reverse it if required after the decision has been made.

No budgeting process works like that and there is no way the Minister would spend money in such a manner in his Department. A detailed planning process is required of how money is to be spent, how many staff are required, the likely decisions to be made and the cost to ensure this is done properly. The money is then raised rather than having it the other way around. I do not see any provision in the Bill which will give the Oireachtas the detail of the estimate of how the authority will spend its money over a 12-month period.

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