Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If there is no place in public life, then the Taoiseach needs to bring forward regulations to take sanctions against these people. The Government has not done that. The Government Bill is totally and absolutely inadequate. The so-called independent regulator envisaged by Fine Gael and the Labour Party is not independently appointed. The regulator is accountable to the Minister. As far as I know, the regulator does not have the power to prosecute. That is simply not good enough. It merely serves to highlight the style of this Government, which is loud on rhetoric and slow on action. It is another part of the Taoiseach's five-point plan biting the dust.

In 2012, the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, who now has responsibility for planning but has ignored this issue entirely, said Fianna Fáil polluted this country with corruption. I do not disagree with him on that point, but those involved were not on their own. Fine Gael is the "what is in it for me party?" and the mé féin party. It is being disgraced by the actions of some of its representatives. Last night's programme illustrates that clearly.

I ask the Taoiseach to support Deputy Stanley's Bill, which establishes the independent planning regulator envisaged in the Mahon report. I set out the three grounds on which it is different from what the Taoiseach is putting forward. Deputy Stanley's Bill gives to the regulator the power to prosecute. It also allows for the regulator to be appointed independently and for him or her to not be answerable to the Minister. He or she would be independent of the Oireachtas and any political influence.

The Taoiseach has never had a problem rushing legislation through to give money to the elites or to take it away from the poor. He has guillotined every social welfare Bill since he came into office. He said he hopes, all going well, that his inadequate Bill will be passed. I ask him to free up time now for the Sinn Féin Bill to be taken before Christmas.

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