Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

When Deputy Gogarty expresses his no doubt genuine concern about the cost of a committee I reckon that under the new pared down regime implemented by the Minister for Finance a committee probably costs up to €20,000 a year these days. It would be €20,000 well spent. That is not a compelling argument against invigilating an investment of €54 billion by the taxpayer. A more serious argument is whether it should be an integral part of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service, expanded or otherwise, or a sub-committee of that committee. Its powers must be clear if it is to be meaningful.

When one reads the Minister's amendments on more complex issues it is clear that this has not defeated the Minister's capacity to design a committee. The Minister would do that in a spurt on a Sunday morning radio show, off the top of his head without any bother. Why he has not brought this amendment before us when he has brought more complex ones before us must lead us to doubt whether there is any change in the mindset. If this House had been in possession of some of the sensitive information we might not be in the situation we are in. The mindset that says that the repository of all wisdom is on the Government side and in the Department of Finance and the other agencies has, I am afraid, been changed utterly and forever. The Minister is not acknowledging that in playing us along and saying he will get out of this House and into the next House which may or may not pay much attention or be up to speed on where he is. He thinks he will have no difficulty with the Seanad and that he will be clean away.

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