Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

I refer to waste in FÁS, the HSE and CIE, organisations to which the Government, under the Taoiseach, has made appointments and which share responsibility. We did not have to wait for Senator Ross's book, in that successive reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General highlighted the extraordinary catalogue of waste in public bodies. The problem is solved, however, because the Taoiseach said, yesterday I believe, that the Government would not condone waste. It is interesting that most of the information highlighted in the newspapers, Senator Ross's book and other reports has come via freedom of information requests, yet only one year ago the Taoiseach was saying such requests were a waste of time and that the freedom of information system was being abused. However, it is that system that ensures people can hold the Government to account. It has exposed the waste we all condemn. We should have a debate on the issue of waste and loss, at the taxpayers' expense, in these organisations.

On the budgetary issue, we are in a perilous economic situation. We have a short window of opportunity within which to get things right if we are to go back into the international markets next year. It is important that the Government works with the Opposition in resolving the problems that exist. It is not good enough to say to the Opposition to put forward any good ideas it might have for the Government to kick about. There must be a change of attitude by Government which will bear a heavy responsibility during the next few months.