Seanad debates

Thursday, 5 December 2002

With regard to the troika of senior and distinguished civil servants that has produced a report, I support calls for a debate. However, denigrating them is not going to advance anyone's argument. They have done us a real service by producing a report which most politicians would be afraid to sign their names to and by raising real issues. They should be complimented for so doing, but the analysis on this side of the House has been slightly cynical in contending that the report provides a smoke screen for the Minister. In one sense the civil servants are right and we should thank God that they have been there to do this work. They are independent people who have looked at a critical matter, made recommendations and provided politicians with an opportunity to point to and examine what the experts say. We should do that. I am amazed that socialists say the children of millionaires should get the same allowance as everyone else and I am in complete favour of means tests.

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