Shane Ross (Independent)

I knew that if I had not included it, the Members on the Government side would not have been happy. There are 800 quangos which they are not prepared to touch. It is a bit bloody rich for Senators on the Government side to state that they are not enamoured of the quangos the Bill proposes to create. I am pleased with the acknowledgement from those Members who actually read the Bill. I accept their criticism. Let us take the quangos out if that is what Members on the Government benches want.

However, these are a different type of body in charge. I suspect it would be difficult for the Government at the moment to accept this type of quango because it is not the norm. It does not suit the Members opposite as there is not room on this quango for the normal party political patronage. The Members on the Government benches must have seen that.