Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is patently obvious that the spring statement is about the upcoming election. The big issue at the moment is what type of recovery we are experiencing. While I listened to what the Taoiseach said, it is also patently obvious that this is a two-tier economic recovery. He just glossed over the big issue, which is the fact that he has not met representatives of the banks for three years and the fact that they have a veto over citizens' mortgages.

When I tried to unravel the issues around Irish Water and the €85 million in taxpayers' money given to private consultants, I could not get to the bottom of who took the decisions. There are not even records of minutes of meeting between the former Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, and the chairwoman of Bord Gáis. I understand what the Taoiseach is saying about the need for focus and we all have examples of meetings that did not have focus but the EMC appears to me to be almost a subversion of the Cabinet's collective responsibility for governance on the crux issues facing people. It is easier to control a small group such as this to take decisions and then, in an ongoing atmosphere of crisis, to push them through. The big issue around Irish Water and other matters I have raised is there were no proper debates in the House. The guillotine was used time out of number and sensible amendments tabled by the Opposition parties, including by Sinn Féin, were totally ignored or voted own by the Government.

The Taoiseach ignored my question, which is a suggestion from others, including those in the Government. I asked him to comment on whether the EMC should be retained following the period of fiscal crisis.

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