Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Ó Fearghaíl spoke on amendment No. 18, but I wish to comment on the Minister's response on amendments Nos. 16 and 17, which we support. The Minister of State said that under legislation, the Minister has authority to give consent to the local authority to retain the funds or proceeds from tenant purchase schemes for dispersal within the housing section of that local authority. I respect this, but notwithstanding the provision, does the Minister not believe that the authority of the Minister may be somewhat undermined by virtue of the powers that exist for the Economic Management Council, EMC, at this time? That being the case, the direction of that body might be that all Ministers return funds from any such schemes for dispersal by central Government.

It is against this background we disagree with the Minister of State's response on the proposed amendment. Is she not of the same opinion as us, that the real power within Cabinet is that of the Economic Management Council, as we saw to our cost in regard to the process of the setting up of Irish Water? We saw the underhand manner in which the EMC withheld information from the rest of Cabinet in regard to the way in which funds were drawn down from the National Pensions Reserve Fund and saw the lack of accountability to this House regarding funds derived from that body and the manner in which it was done. This left the public at large without recourse to adequate responses in regard to that whole process. It is against this background that I urge caution on the part of the Minister of State in this instance to feel she can hide behind the existing legislation which states it is at the discretion of the Minister to allow those funds be retained. I fear that power may be usurped by the authority of the EMC.

See this speech in context