Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion.

I acknowledge the work carried out by these bodies over the last number of years. There is no doubt they have played a valuable role, as the Minister of State said. Over the last few months, Fine Gael has called for the rationalisation of many quangos, which is a word that can be used to describe some of the bodies we are talking about this evening. I welcome their amalgamation. However, I would like to know what work will be carried out by these bodies in the future and what role the Government has laid out for them.

The Minister of State mentioned that the bodies would be more accountable to the House. Many quangos are not answerable to the Oireachtas and cannot be questioned by its Members. These bodies should be made accountable to the House, perhaps through parliamentary questions to the relevant Minister. Currently, if I table a question about a body to the Department of the Taoiseach or another Department, the reply will be that the Taoiseach or Minister has no direct responsibility for the body concerned. The Minister should be given direct responsibility for such bodies and if parliamentary questions are tabled by a Deputy, he or she should receive a direct reply. I ask the Minister of State to forward this suggestion to the Department of the Taoiseach. The approach over the last number of years has been to keep these bodies at arm's length.

The Minister of State spoke about value for money, which is very unusual, especially for this Government which has created a large amount of quangos. I listened to Colm McCarthy with interest when the report of an bord snip nua was published. He tried and failed to ascertain the amount of quangos that were in each Department. Quangos were hiding behind other quangos and nobody knew who was responsible for them.

I support this proposal. Many more of these bodies should be amalgamated. There is much overlap within different Departments and quangos. There is no doubt that such bodies could be more progressive if they were brought together and given a better and more robust role. The existing roles of quangos can be beneficial and we can highlight social advantages brought about in particular by the NESF. There are different representative bodies on each of these boards. The work should be continued within these bodies but there should be more of a function through the Oireachtas.

These quangos were set up on a whim as jobs for the boys but the function of each of these bodies was lost over a number of years. When people were appointed to these boards, it was done as a favour or to look after friends. That is exactly what has happened over the past number of years. I ask the Minister of State to request that these bodies have more of a responsibility to the Oireachtas; when a Member tables questions on the role, work or function of them, the relevant Minister should have direct responsibility.

I acknowledge the work which has been done by these bodies over the past but I would like to see the duplication evident over the past eradicated. These bodies should have a more robust role.

See this speech in context