Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I monitored matters relating to that Government very carefully and anything to do with the Green Party I monitored extra carefully. I have no difficulty taking the word of Deputy Ó Cuív, who was a Minister in the previous Government, in respect of this matter. The Deputy is a man of impeccable standards. It is possible that the former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, and his gurus were drafting proposals but I did not see them. I would have strongly opposed anything which came from Mr. Gormley.

The €50 charge is extremely important and it will be enshrined in legislation when the Bill is passed. The Minister might state that a Government would require a majority to change the fee. However, as Deputy Ó Cuív stated, it would be much easier to change the figure from €50 to €500 than it would be to draft a new section for insertion into the legislation. As far as I am concerned, the Minister is again engaging in sleight of hand in respect of this matter. The Minister has been involved in politics for much longer than I have been and he knows the score, as do the advisers sitting beside him.

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