Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will be supporting the motion which implements the modular approach concentrating in the first instance on the Siteserv sale by the Commission of Investigation into the IBRC. The commission has encountered problems of legal and professional confidentiality that have impeded the completion of its work. This motion helps address those barriers and will aid the commission in issuing a report by the already delayed October 2016 deadline.

Serious questions, however, have to be asked again as to why these hurdles are being dealt with at the end of the commission's operation phase rather than at its establishment, which would have prevented the delays we have encountered. These new terms of reference must be watertight and must not be subject to further delays. It is vital to ensure the commission is now enabled legally and through resources to overcome legal constraints to expedite the publication of the final report and to meet the deadline.

Some weeks ago, I asked questions about the Siteserv controversy and do not intend to ask them again. I note, however, the most overused phrase in the Minister of State's remarks was consultation with the Opposition. I put it to him that one of the biggest symptoms of the dysfunction of the last Dáil was the steamrolling of any input from the Opposition into any legislation. This Bill is a symptom of that way of doing business. Concerns were raised by Deputy Catherine Murphy and others about the model proposed. Many of the difficulties encountered and the delays incurred were identified at the outset by Opposition voices but because they came from this side of the House they were steamrolled, ignored and the Government carried on as normal. That is why we are here putting Band Aids on the original legislation and that is why there have been delays. That has to stop. We cannot keep running in here to deal with bad legislation when the weakness were pointed out at the outset. I am not sure where new politics is or what its definition will be but surely that would be something it could achieve, that when the Opposition puts forward constructive suggestions and proposals, or an idea that something may not work, it is not ignored because it is the Opposition which does so. Had that been the case in the previous Dáil, we would not be here this evening. We support the motion to try to bring this important work to an end and shine a light on what happened.

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