Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I compliment Deputy Varadkar on introducing this Bill, which is progressive and is needed at present. The country has become complacent and has accepted the rule as laid down. Unfortunately, there has been very little change of Government in the past few years. As a result, the same people are being appointed again and again, as referred to by previous speakers. Terms of reference are drawn up by the same people, appointments are made by the same people and, although the appointees may be good people in their own way with excellent qualifications, by virtue of the fact that they are appointed by the same people they feel allegiance to them. An example is the way one tables questions on the HSE, NTR or any topic under the sun. The response is that the Minister has no responsibility to the House. To whom does the Minister have responsibility? Is it to himself or herself? No one can ask a question or receive an answer. Freedom of information queries have now taken precedence over parliamentary questions because one is more likely to get a reply.

Why is it that Members of the national Parliament are excluded from asking questions on certain areas? Another example concerns the health repayment scheme. A Member may ask a question regarding legislation passed by this House concerning someone awaiting payment. Eventually a general reply will suggest that the body administering the scheme is prevented from replying to the Member because of the Data Protection Act. This is the last resort. People fail to recognise that it does not matter about the Data Protection Act because Members are also subject to it. Collectively, the House is subject to the Data Protection Act. No one has the right to hide behind the Data Protection Act when asked a question by a Member of this House or by someone outside this House by way of letter.

Public bodies and quangos are no longer accountable to anyone except privately to the Minister. Why should that be? Have we no respect for ourselves? Is it not time that someone recognises that, in fairness to everyone, people would like to know that they have been treated equally, that they have access to information and that certain procedures are being followed? Previous speakers have set out instances where matters could be improved.

The only way to change the system is to have a change of Government through a general election. I do not think we will achieve a change of Government in the one minute that remains in my contribution. When the change of Government comes, it will have the effect of ensuring that those appointed to these bodies will not be as secure as they thought they were. They will no longer be accountable only to one Minister or one party, which is a total corruption of democracy. It has happened in this country. I do not have to go into the subject dearest to the Minister's heart at this time, NAMA. God and heaven protect us. I cannot believe that, in any other country in the world, what has gone on over the past five for five years in this country would not lead to charges being proffered against the people concerned. Nothing happens in this country but I cannot understand why.

The Bill is progressive and useful. It has no chance of success because the Government has no intention of introducing transparency or accountability or of taking any steps to reprimand those who may have erred, greatly costing the people, the country and the taxpayers.

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