Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Similar to what my colleague has said, we are dancing around here on the head of a needle with all these grandiose schemes, such as the one introduced yesterday. This retrofitting scheme has been eagerly awaited and much wanted. People want to engage with it. It will, however, cost them €500 to get an assessment, and they will get back €250 whenever. I am talking about people on the margins. People have told me they have been waiting for two and half years already for the SEAI. I understand from Deputy O’Donoghue, and I thank him for attending the briefing yesterday, because he understands building, that the scheme is not going to start until the autumn of this year. Why does the Government keep announcing it? It is like going out fishing and throwing out a fly to catch a sardine or, hopefully, a trout. I ask the Government to not be fooling the public. People are sick and tired of schemes being announced.

The Government is also telling us that the credit unions and banks will be involved. The credit unions will be, certainly, but the banks are closed for business in respect of people undertaking things like this. Those seeking loans will be asked where they work and what they are doing, and every employment situation is precarious as far as the banks are concerned.

Regarding this situation, I have said numerous times that the CPCC is useless, toothless and fruitless. We have authorities for everything now. All these seem to consist of are a plaque, about the size of an A4 sheet of paper, up on the wall, lovely plush offices and nice big swivel seats and desks for the board and employees. I am not being personal about anybody, but we have so many quangos. Quangoland is alive and flourishing, and does not need any nitrogen. There are insiders and jobs for the boys and for friends of political parties and whatever appointing them. These quangos have no function because they are doing nothing.

Let us take the example of the meat cartels. Goodness, we all stood outside the factories two years ago. It is shocking the way the farmers are being treated. One Christmas, about five years ago, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae and I went to a Dunnes Stores outlet with representatives of the IFA. There was a protest ongoing, and three or four-----

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