Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

A Cheann Comhairle, I think I would have to disagree with the reference to Louth as I am sure you would, yourself.

This is a very important motion. The Minister has avoided the issue which is about accountability and transparency. It is about accounting for the €6.23 billion CIE has spent since 1997. It is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, the Comptroller and Auditor General or the Committee of Public Accounts. During the week the Minister said he had grave concerns about an audit into procurement policies in certain divisions of Iarnród Éireann that cost more than €500,000. Last night I brought to his attention and tonight I bring to the attention of the Minister of State present that we are demanding a copy of an internal audit report from 2007 which stated that further significant breaches were found in areas which are outside the scope of the Baker Tilly report including significant non-compliance in the chief mechanical engineers department. Let us have the truth and the facts. Let us find out what is going on in CIE. Let us not have Ministers refusing to make it accountable here in the Dáil and accountable to parliamentary questions.

The Government is currently seeking €4.1 billion in cutbacks across the board. That figure is the same as the €4.1 billion cost overrun the Comptroller and Auditor General pointed out in National Roads Authority roads programme, which added 60% to the original costs of these projects. The National Roads Authority failed to calculate and manage the costs of these projects yet the Minister, Deputy Dempsey will not hold it accountable to parliamentary questions. What a Government it is. The Minister, Deputy Dempsey, introduced the electronic voting machines, which was a waste of €50 million. The Government decided to put broadband into places where it can never work. It will lie forever unused in many towns and villages around the country. That was another €80 million wasted. Of course €150 million of taxpayers' money was wasted on PPARS. What did the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, say about it? In October 2005 he said that that loss was "very, very small."

The Government is refusing to face the fact that many of its quangos are wasting vast amounts of taxpayers' money. Let me quote an independent authority, the Information Commissioner, Emily O'Reilly, who has stated on several occasions her concern regarding the lack of transparency within aspects of government. She said: "If FOI is about replacing a culture of secrecy with a culture of openness in the Irish public service, I have to say that this objective is being frustrated by the continued exclusion from FOI of several key public institutions." Why is CIE not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, the Comptroller and Auditor General or the Committee of Public Accounts? Why is the Minister protecting it?

Our motion represents a well thought out analysis of Government failures to instil transparency, accountability or scrutiny of activities into the companies and State agencies it has created. Mark my words; we will make the Government accountable. We will not allow it to continue in the same cavalier and unaccountable fashion. We will not allow it to refuse to give us copies of audit reports, refuse to meet with us or refuse to give us the telephone number of the safety officer at the Dublin Port tunnel, a person who is allegedly independent of the National Roads Authority and should be allowed to do his or her duties without interference from that body. Where is the transparency and accountability in respect of all these entities?

The job of Government is to hold State companies and agencies accountable for the delivery of efficient public services and value for money. This Government has failed miserably in that regard. That is why CIE must come under greater scrutiny and why the National Roads Authority must be accountable to the Dáil in respect of parliamentary questions. Fianna Fáil's misguided priorities and mismanagement of resources have deprived people of modern public services and efficient public transport and have brought this country to its knees. I commend the motion to the House.

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