Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The Minister treats the House with contempt. He has a strategy but he will not tell us what it is. We are told the Government respects the Dáil as a place where Ministers are accountable. The Minister is saying he is paddling his canoe up the stream with, according to himself, a map and guide as to where he is going but he will not tell either the public or Members of the House where he is heading or how he is going to get there. This is the depth of contempt to which the Government has led the Dáil. We are entitled to know the strategy being pursued and to hold the Minister accountable for it.

The Minister is pretending he is delivering on his strategy. What has happened to the strategy to cut red tape by 25%? According to his own figures, he has delivered just €20 million of that, or less than 4%.

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