Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

He is. I thought he was, but I was not sure. He was a visionary. We had such a dedicated public service, but now we cannot organise a contract for a blooming tennis match. We have laws and regulations and procurement rules. Today I had here people with an excellent project. I salute Mr. Jonathan Irwin and others, including in the Irish Prison Service, who came here today. I also salute the Irish Horse Welfare Trust. The project is in the Minister's constituency. He had a representative at the meeting because he was too busy to attend, but he is supporting the project which is wonderful. Mr. Irwin has raised €101,000 to build ten stables, but we are being told there could be problems in procurement. It is money that people gave voluntarily and on which they had paid their taxes and everything else. They made the donations to fund this wonderful project.

For the past couple of years, to apply for EU tenders, small people must have a turnover of €5 million. No one has made millions in recent years. It just stinks to high heaven and is a lethargic approach adopted by the mechanisms of government. I am speaking about the official or permanent government. It is a con job. It cannot see beyond its nose. It is not fit to give contracts to fellows who are serving at mass because it has no interest in doing so and no fear of retribution or anyone challenging it. It might be cautioned or people might have their wages cut, but there is no accountability.

There are so few Members on the Government benches now for most debate, but the problem is that there is hardly a businessman or businesswoman among them. However, there are, barristers, solicitors, teachers, doctors and God only knows what. They are good people in their own right, but they do not understand business and how it ticks. However, the poor people who are trying to do business understand it. It is a shame and disgrace that we are speaking again about the lack of broadband and we will be here again in two or three years' time. There is transparency in procurement and now there is one supplier, which is a monopoly. I will bring in a game of Monopoly to show it to the Government. I would not be surprised to learn that Eir was in cahoots with e-net from England which has no experience of operating in rural areas.

This is and has been a con job. If it walks like and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. It is outrageous. There are regulators who are unbelievable. I have said many times that they are toothless and useless. Where are they in all of this? When the contracts were given during the years, where were they? They took their pensions and we now have all of these quangos. I see the officials whispering to the Minister and looking at him. I respect what they do and I am not blaming them but the whizz kids, the advisers and the smart boyos. Every businesswoman who opens the door tomorrow morning will pay rates, staff wages and the ESB, but she must also pay the banks which are terrorising people as they try to keep the doors open.

This is a waste. We could undertake the rural electrification project in the late 1950s. I remember Canon Hayes saying to people that they should light a candle rather than curse the dark. We are now inept to a massive degree. Thank God, we gained our freedom through the people who had fought for it, but now we have been tainted and are corrupt beyond belief. It is all backhanders and sideshows and to hell with ordinary people living down lanes and boreens. It is a case of croppies lie down.

It is shameful, it is disgusting and it stinks and I have no faith in the process.

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