Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I am delighted the Minister is present to respond to the debate but I do not think much of the speech he made available, which I have just read. I am surprised that there are no officials accompanying the Minister. I do not know what is going on in the Department. The Minister does not know himself. The officials are rarely seen with him. He is a one-man show. His backbench colleagues told me some months ago that he was the man; that he would introduce a household charge and a septic tank charge. He had it all done, but now instead of being called the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, he would be more aptly described as the Minister for confusion, persecution of homeowners and disbandment of local government. The Minister has had a long and distinguished career in the Dáil, much longer than I have, but he seems to want to change the world and to create confusion. He also seems to want to sabotage Labour Party conferences because the leaks that emerged that weekend caused huge angst to his so-called colleagues in government. He does not respect them. How could he when he does not respect anyone? I am delighted the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, is present because he has been on programmes and he has come across as sane, civil – I do not say the Minister is not sane – I am not suggesting that-----

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