Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It was interesting to hear Deputy Michael McNamara's contribution and I appreciate from where he is coming. He has a legal mind and understands this issue very well. Perhaps he might shift further over to this side of the House when the time comes to vote. We must wait and see, but it is up to him. However, I welcome his very valid points.

I have major issues and I am disappointed that the senior Minister is absent, as I need clarification on some serious issues. Why must the boards be amalgamated? The Minister is putting it out as a sop that he is proposing to amalgamate the two boards, cutting down on the number of quangos. Deputy Michael McNamara spoke about the careful scrutiny of the legislation on Bord Gáis and the transfers, which was all done in the House and the Bills office and for good reason. Will the consumer be represented on the board? The Minister will appoint the board members. The consumers are domestic and business customers who have been paying water rates for 20 years.

3 o’clock

In addition, as stated previously, I fear the water rates will be jacked up enormously because the Government is losing money. Each time an amendment is tabled here, it is dropping €30 million or €40 million. Last night, it was €480 million. This is a complete shambles and simply is not acceptable. While I have that on record anyway, the Government will force through the Bill using guillotines, but I have grave concerns about the make-up of the board, as well as the expertise and qualifications that the people on the board will have.

I seek clarification on a matter regarding the board from either the Minister of State or his colleague, the senior Minister. The board of the entity called Bord Gáis Éireann, BGE, announced in January 2013 the appointment of Mr. John Barry as acting chief executive officer for an interim period pending the appointment of a new chief executive officer. This executive, Mr. Barry, is the man who until recently was manager of Ervia's major projects. Surely this is its biggest project, and this board will be the most powerful board in the country. He was manager of the major projects and was tasked with the responsibility of overseeing and establishing Uisce Éireann, or this beast, as I will call it today. Is he currently suspended pending an investigation into financial impropriety? I seek an answer to that question.

See this speech in context