Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

The Minister comes to his job as a person of high integrity and many who were not in the House before admired his conviction. I genuinely wonder if the Minister knows what he is doing. He is giving €1.5 billion, a slush fund to be used in advance of the local elections, to his former political opponents. If that is what the Minister wants to do, God help him. We are not just transferring money but also roads and infrastructure projects from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The last paragraph of the Minister's speech states that he will be "responsible for the management of the local government fund". With one stroke of a pen, he has handed the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, control of the building and maintenance of roads. The Minister knows this will not happen.

Senator Norris referred to revenue sharing and divvying out, so to speak. We must have accountability from the National Roads Authority regarding the provision for non-national roads. Local councillors and local people, to whom Senator O'Malley referred, are deeply unhappy with the condition of and maintenance of non-national roads throughout the country at a time of major Exchequer expenditure. We are giving carte blanche to the NRA, which is unaccountable. This Bill presented an opportunity to reorganise Government functions and reform local government. I understand the bona fides of the Minister and do not blame him on one level because he is a nice guy. He is being caught. What will be the cost of the letterheads, forms, signs, staff training and information technology?

The Minister should not abdicate responsibility for the NRA. It has abdicated responsibility for providing the Sarsfield Road and Bishopstown roundabout flyover in Cork South-Central. There is no answer to it because the NRA says it is a matter for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which says it is a matter for the NRA. It is a complete flyover, no pun intended.

The delivery of infrastructure projects is best served by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government because the Minister is the political master of local government. I am disappointed the Bill is being debated and that the powers are being transferred to the Department of Transport.