David Norris (Independent)

I will not eat into but I just serve warning that I have a lot to say and I hope the Minister, Deputy Mansergh, will be there because I wish to examine the philosophical basis of the whole thing, including definitions of money and what is behind the market.

I am sorry to see this stuff about competition is still here. I voted against the abolition of the groceries order. Was I right? Everyone said that would result in lower prices but I knew it would not, that it would serve the interests of supermarkets. That is one thing. The Competition Authority was so stupid it did not even provide in the Bill for advertising an open competition for the chief executive's post — until I put it in — and then it missed the date when one of the major international corporations was supposed to be examined. It forgot about it until it was too late. Do not give me the Competition Authority.

Let us look at the ESB. We were told the ESB could not reduce its prices, as the regulator would not allow it because of competition. The idea behind that was to keep the prices high so that we could suck in people from outside to undermine our own State utilities. Let us preserve the public service.