Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

As a citizen, taxpayer and public representative I felt intense frustration that a valuable property, 14 miles from the centre of Dublin, containing millions of tonnes of sand and gravel, was sold for a ridiculous consideration. When we started to ventilate the issue I found that my frustration was nothing compared with that of citizens who felt that a large and powerful multinational company, based here, had trampled on their rights. Not only were they frustrated that their rights as citizens and taxpayers had not been vindicated but they had no way to ventilate their concerns. There was no obvious complaint mechanism available. Would the committee have some form of investigative capacity or role? If so, then the Seanad needs to consider its relationship with the agencies I mentioned earlier.

I do not intend these observations to be destructive. We are searching for a role for the Seanad and I believe in the concept of it being used in this way because it is less gladiatorial and political than the Dáil. Would the individual Senators carry out the investigations and if so how?

Legal powers would also have to be considered. Would it require power to compel the production of documents? This is an interesting area because many Oireachtas committees have been extremely frustrated on this point, not only in dealing with parties outside the Administration but even in compelling the production of documents within the public sector. Senator O'Rourke will recall a case when a new regulator chose to be less than forthcoming with information. I was on the committee at that time, not being a Minister, and thought there was something quintessentially wrong in a part of the public sector feeling it was not answerable to either the Minister of the day or the Oireachtas.

What sort of powers would this committee have, how would they be enforced and what would arise from non-cooperation? What kind of findings would the committee make? Much of this relates to whether the committee decides to focus purely on the evolution of law, and ideas to bring forward new legislation, or would it, like other petitions committees, have some right to investigate and handle complaints? What would be the status of the findings?

These are important considerations, and Senator Ryan will note that I did some substantial editing. He left out the less complimentary part of what I said.