Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour)

We sometimes forget it, but I meant to say that we should be included in this subject matter. By the way, I drafted this Topical Issue before the cartridge-gate saga, although I do not want to go down this road. Without a doubt, that is a typical example of how the public perceive the Minister, myself and everyone else in this House. It is up to all of us to bring a halt to all those practices and not just in here, but throughout the public service. Eventually, we have to reach a stage where people realise that the use of the phrase "Ah, it's the State that's paying for it" - the old colonial language that Irish people use - is not good enough. Forget the State, it is the ordinary taxpayer who is paying for it, so we have to change that mindset.

If I understood the Minister correctly, he said that when the programme period is over he will size up the matter himself. That would be a good exercise for the public and will perhaps focus some journalists' minds on the meaningful things that are done within the public service.

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