Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The Minister decided to take the side of those people, and I regret that because he was not there when the authority was established. He now has an opportunity to secure a Government commitment to investigate what has gone on and to put things right, rather than taking the side of those people who were involved in malpractice, resulting in the taxpayer being down to the tune of €213 million. That is a sad reflection on the Minister.

It is an irresponsible decision by the Minister and the Government and it does not do him justice. I hear him reading these fine sounding sentences about the need for financial probity and scrutiny, but now is the time to stand up and be counted and to accept the Fine Gael Bill. He can do that without any political difficulty because he can accept the Second Stage of the legislation and if he has any difficulties, he can make amendments on Committee Stage, part and parcel of the legislative process. We in Fine Gael will accommodate him in that regard. He will then also have the benefit of the two internal reports to make the necessary changes in accountability that we seek in this Bill. What is he afraid of that stops him from ensuring we have proper accountability? I can only conclude that the classic see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil mechanism has overcome him and that he does not want to find out about things he is suspicious of. That is not the right way to ensure proper accountability for agencies.

Deputy Cuffe said that something seemed to go wrong in the Dublin Docklands Development Authority.

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