Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Shanahan and the Regional Group for bringing forward this important Bill. I am more than happy to support it. The Bill above all will provide an enhanced and hugely necessary level of transparency to ensure the details of capital spending by each Department are prepared and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas five or four years after the financial year concerned. Those details will include the amount of each capital supply service and public allocation expended by or on behalf of a relevant Department and the local government administrative area or areas in which each asset is located.

In simple language, the Bill will allow us to follow the money. That level of transparency on capital spending is badly needed, particularly when it comes to spending in the regions. Up to now, we have largely had to rely on the excellent research of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly to highlight the imbalance in spending between the regions. I commend its competence and dedication but if this Bill becomes legislation, that information would be laid before the Dáil and Seanad and, crucially, individual Ministers and Departments could be called to account for their spending or non-spending from many perspectives, including a regional perspective. Such transparency is a necessary prelude to fairness and, while it will not guarantee fairness, it will make individual Ministers and Departments more accountable for their spending decisions. I wish that level of transparency existed right now and had been in place ten, 20 and 30 years ago. It could have made such a difference in helping to ensure a fair share of spending to all regions, particularly the northern and western region.

Time and again, I have quoted damning statistics around economic indicators and spending in the northern and western region but, time and again, I am ignored in this House. I have quoted the fact the European Commission has downgraded the region to a lagging region. I have quoted the fact we do not have our fair share of high-end jobs. I have quoted the fact that when it comes to third level spending for capital projects, we are way below the national average from 2012 to 2022. I am blue in the face quoting it but if this legislation was passed it would ensure no hiding place for the continuation of unfair and inequitable spending in the region. Crucially, it would track spending in all regions. That is what balanced regional development is about. I will advocate for the northern and western region; other Deputies will advocate for their regions. Nobody is looking for more than their fair share but when regions consistently do not get it and economic gaps open because of that, then legislation like this would make individual Ministers and governments accountable for that.

That is why I welcome this legislation. I believe the Government is not challenging it and I hope it will be passed as speedily as possible. You know what they say, better late than never.

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