Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

notes that:

- CIE has received and spent €6.23 billion of taxpayers' money since 1997;

- the National Roads Authority, NRA, has received and spent over €13 billion of taxpayers' money since 2000;

is deeply alarmed that CIE is not subject to any real accountability or transparency mechanisms including:

- the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts;

- Comptroller and Auditor General audits and investigations;

- Oireachtas oversight as Ministers refuse to be held accountable or answer questions; and

- the Freedom of Information Act;

is deeply concerned over the lack of policy and Exchequer funding accountability and oversight in the NRA as Ministers refuse to be held accountable to the Oireachtas;

acknowledges that these problems extend to other agencies and companies across Government;

considers these facts lead to an unjustified democratic deficit at the heart of Government; and calls on the Government to:

- strengthen democracy and bring about greater transparency in Government by introducing a proper system of parliamentary spending oversight for CIE and the NRA and also for other agencies and semi-State companies in receipt of billions of taxpayers' money;

- ensure the financial budgeting, procurement and accounting processes used by government agencies and companies become more accountable to the Oireachtas; and

- bring CIE within the scope of Freedom of Information and under the remit of the Ombudsman's office and the Comptroller and Auditor General.

With the permission of the House, I wish to share time with Deputies Paul Connaughton, Brian Hayes, John O'Mahony and Joe McHugh.

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