Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister did not want the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to be involved. He did not want street democracy; he thought people were going for a walk around town. This is the eleventh attempt by him to find people who might agree with him to sit on the forum. I am against the forum and the section, but if we have to have a forum, the one proposed by Sinn Féin would be better, given the track record of the Department in not listening to people, not keeping minutes, repeatedly being of one mind and bringing parliamentary debate in the State to a new low.

The Minister should look at the opinion polls. The other night we forecast what would happen and it has happened. The Minister is out of touch with the people - so much so that the proposal from the opposite side of the House is to let some poor people on the forum. The Government will charge €260 per household and give a one in 80,000 chance a person might be a member of the forum. I thank the Minister for nothing if that is what he regards as consultation.

The record of the Minister's Department means this is not a good idea. Friends will be appointed. Minutes will not be taken. There is no interest in the views of any community in this House or of any other body - outside the Department's own narrow circle - because they are telling it that this is an economic disaster. However, I support the amendment because it is better than what the Minister has in his Bill.