Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)

I concur with Deputy Ó Cuív's comments on regulators. It is an abrogation of political responsibility to give powers to regulators without giving the Minister of the day the right of veto. As we have seen in the recent past, the record of certain regulators has been disgraceful. While I accept the Minister's assurance that he will protect the postal service while he is in government and I want to believe the Labour Party has as its core a commitment to public service for the benefit of all the people, I do not have the same confidence in his partners in government. Elements of previous Governments pursued a privatisation agenda, whether for hospitals or whatever else. The privatisation agenda does not have the national interest at heart. The national interest and the common good have to be protected by elected representatives. It is not in the common good to erode or undermine a national service provider such as An Post. If we depart from the common good, we will allow a system of privatisation which has no interest in anything but making a profit.

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