Joe O'Toole (Independent)

It is important the House recognises that the auctioneering review group has been established and is up and running, arising from an initiative in this House which was pushed and supported very much by the Leader. This is worth recognising and I refer particularly to those people who are constant critics of the House. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board has advertised for people to deal with the motor insurance area ahead of schedule. It was intended to begin that process on 1 January 2005. When the Bill was going through the House, that question was asked by almost every speaker.

I raise also the question of the State Airports Bill, which I raised last week. The Leader gave a clear reply on what she knew about it at that time. We have a large volume of business to deal with this week. The manner in which that Bill has been pushed through the other House, with guillotines and brow beating committees, as happened in the Select Committee on Transport, last week is unacceptable. While that is the business of the other House and it is not for us to comment on it, I would be appalled if somebody were to pull strings to interfere with the Order of Business in this House this week to push through that legislation. It would be an appalling reflection at a time when the Bill needs consideration. Members on both sides will have much to say on that Bill which is not critical or under much pressure. I believe its current shape will change when we come to discuss it. I would be opposed to any heavy handed approach or intervention. This House is seen by too many as a creature of Ministers or a rubber-stamping operation where we do not have any involvement or decisions to make which are of real value. We should express a clear view that we will discuss the Bill at some length.

Recently I raised with the Leader the question of a peace time discussion on the values, advantages or disadvantages that have accrued to the nation from privatisation. We are now looking at making Willie Walsh a millionaire so that he can join Denis O'Brien out in Portugal, or whatever it is that we are trying to do with Aer Lingus. It is time we looked at what we gain from privatisation. We have started on the same route again by having a go at the national transport service. We are being told how bad the service is, how much needs to be invested in it and how bleak is the future. We are told that North Korea and Cuba are the only countries which own their airlines, but we are not told what it has cost the US Government to own its airline and what it costs Italy to maintain Alitalia.

We could consider all sorts of views in the context of public and private ownership. As John O'Connor said this morning, the issue is not privatisation, it is value for the taxpayer and the travelling customer and it involves the broader national strategy. We need to discuss the matter.