Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I compliment my colleague, Deputy Varadkar, on introducing this Bill to the Dáil. I cannot understand the reason the Government will not accept it. I have listened to the Green Party Members, who should stop the hypocrisy. If the Bill is not perfect, it would be simple to have a Committee Stage debate in which the Government could then introduce whatever amendments it wishes. I am glad that Deputy Varadkar introduced this Bill because an examination of the Official Report for the last ten years would reveal that in common with other Members, I have been clamouring about the issue of lack of accountability to Dáil Éireann. The people elect Members to this Parliament. However, I refer to the previous Administration and the former Taoiseach, who has done much to the discredit of this House. Every time a problem arose, an agency or quango was set up by the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, in respect of which he had a building constructed in his own constituency. He told builders that they should build a building and that he would put something into it. Members should note all the State agencies are located in the former Taoiseach's constituency, which is no way to run a Government.

I will provide the Minister of State with an example. A man who was very upset and frustrated once approached me. This man worked for a company as a carpenter and had many qualifications, including that of electrician, and had been a foreman for a major company. Having been obliged to be away from his wife and family for many years, he came to an interview process for a job with Mayo County Council. After three days of interviewing, during which former county secretaries and officials were paid for their attendance, the overseer's son was appointed. It is somewhat like FÁS in that the county council should not even have bothered. It should simply have paid for the advertisement without putting it in. This is what is wrong and Deputy Creighton's point is quite correct, given the anger and frustration of that man. While he had the qualifications, he did not mind if someone better got the job but he knew he was better. The job was only as a general operative and the only reason he sought it was to be home with his wife and family after the birth of their fourth baby. He did not want to be working away from home in a major company and nor did he wish to be in receipt of social welfare because he had worked all of his life.

Fine Gael wants to get rid of the quangos because there are too many of them. Deputy Coveney is correct in that regard. County managers are appointed through the Civil Service system. Every county manager should appear before the Oireachtas committee with responsibility for the environment every year and should be accountable to the Dáil for what is happening. Every time a Bill is being debated in the Dáil, I ask one question, that the agency, the NRA or the quango be accountable to the Dáil.

If any Member wants to table a parliamentary question it should be answered. Deputy Connaughton made the point that when one tables a question to the Minister for Health and Children or the Minister for Transport, the response is that the Minister has no responsibility. There is responsibility in this House. The people of this country are elected to the Parliament, the Parliament makes the laws and every agency should be accountable to the Parliament, not to the Minister. One should not be on a State board because one supports the Minister or because one supports Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or any other party. It should be because a person has the qualifications required.

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