Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

Like other Oireachtas Members and local authority representatives, I feel strongly about this issue. Accountability to the Dáil reflects the real heart of democracy and the Minister of State realises that. While he did his best to appease me in his reply, I do not believe I can accept it because I feel so strongly about this matter. Oireachtas Members have seen their powers eroded over the years and this represents a further erosion. We have an opportunity here to regain some of the ground that has been lost over a long period. It is not too much to ask to make the agencies in question accountable to the Dáil. I intend to press the amendment.