Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Ryan's call for a discussion on the Indecon report. The report cost €291,000 and it took from 2004 to 2006 to compile the information but the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government rubbished it straight away. Everybody knows that consultants would recommend extra funding for local authorities and inevitably, reintroduction of rates, water charges, etc. Coming up to an election no political party will confront such issues.

There is very little within the report but the Minister has told the local authorities to make their administrations more efficient and to seek extra fees from planning charges. Many young people are already being crucified by the planning obstacle race. Let us discuss the report which is supposedly a waste of money. We commission consultants' reports without thinking about where the money comes from to pay for them.