Dan Boyle (Green Party)

We will await the findings of the tribunal and the Director of the Public Prosecutions. I am confident that action can and will be taken in this regard.

Senator Daly spoke about job creation and the tendering process. There is a commitment in this regard in the programme for Government. We are awaiting a report on green tendering which will help matters in respect of the businesses about which Senator Daly spoke, small and medium-sized enterprises, and to clear unnecessary blockages in the system. I look forward to our having a debate on the report when it becomes available.

Senator Carroll, backed by Senators MacSharry and Leyden, spoke about a proposal to reduce the VAT rate for retrofitting. It is certainly an interesting one. If an EU directive allows it to happen, it is something that should receive active consideration. There has been a difficulty about zero rating, or moving from one VAT rate to another, or creating new VAT rates. The House might benefit from having a debate on the proposal made by Senator Carroll.

Senator Quinn talked about the need to eliminate quangos, the number of which must at least be reduced. This must form an important part of the budget when presented to both Houses.

Senator Mary White has reminded us that there are 1 million people over the age of 60 years on the island. The structure of policy must be informed by how we should deal with not only that number but the increasing number of who will reach that age in the decades to come. Those who find themselves in that age category should not be viewed, as happened in the past, as a burden but a real resource.

Senator MacSharry talked about linking Irish pension funds with an Irish yields benchmark. This proposal has value, but I hope there will not be a vested interest in keeping the yields particularly high because it is something we want to reduce in as short a time as possible.

I believe I have covered all of the points raised but, if not, I will try to address any matters I have overlooked by other means.