Seanad debates

Tuesday, 3 December 2002

National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage.

 

I offer my apologies. This amendment seeks to delete €65 million and substitute €50 million. I spoke earlier about the inflation that occurred since 4 p.m. when it increased from €2,000 to €3,000. This is another kind of inflation, a disease called "euroitis". Where on earth did we get the figure of €65 million? I think there was a civil servant who thought of a nice round figure of £50 million. Then he or she suddenly remembered we are using euro which would bring it up to about €63 million. To make it look respectable he or she rounded it up again and arrived at the odd figure of €65 million. I suggest we go back to the first principles and pick a round figure such as 50 and make it €50 million. That figure is sufficiently big and round. By the time the National Tourism Development Authority has spent its €50 million it will be high time to have another look at how it is getting on. The passage of amending legislation to increase that amount will give us that opportunity. I believe legislation should come back to us on a fairly regular basis to be looked at. Let us round things down for a change; instead of €65 million let us make it €50 million.

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