Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

The last speaker is dead right. The Minister was elected on a basis of trust, which is being quickly eroded. He must build the trust of the people but he is undermining whatever he has, so the people do not trust him. He is coming here and being flippant, arrogant, less than fair and dishonest. He is telling us that we are scaremongering and that it is Deputies Ó Cuív and Mattie McGrath who want the 2009 standards implemented. That is nothing short of poppycock. Everybody in this House knows the latest standards will be applied at all times, or else what is the point of having standards? There were no standards in 1963 so is everything fine once it works? Jim will fix it, or perhaps Deputy Tom Hayes.

Mistrust is the basis of the issue. We cannot be expected to vote when we have seen no standards or ideas about regulations. The Minister can tell us that certain standards will be used but I know An Taisce and other bodies would not be worth their salt if they did not go to Brussels or take more court cases against the Irish Government. I do not want them to do so. The Minister has made a big deal about this court case, that there will be big fines by the beginning of February and that European courts will have their effects felt again.

There cannot be one law for Tipperary and another for Kilkenny, although I am sure the better one is for Kilkenny. Two weeks ago the Minister promised €1 million to Kilkenny County Council to set up offices almost in Waterford city while at the same time cutting out Tipperary. The Minister is playing a political game in trying to be a cute, smart and be the big man. He is getting nowhere.

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