Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I referred to this last week. What I do not want to see happening is large amounts of money going on consultants' fees. That is taxpayers' money and I want to see it going into grassroots sports. We are bringing powers back to ourselves so that when the new body is formed, if it wants to bring in consultants, it will refer back to the Department. We will not be interfering with its day-to-day running. Even if I am not the line Minister, I do not want to see large sums being spent on consultants' fees, as has been the case in the past number of years. Sometimes if one is paying consultants, the question one asks depends on the answer one wants to get. If the need is genuine and good for sport and it something on which it does do not have the expertise itself, it will need to get outside expertise. However, I do not want people spending large sums of money we do not have on consultants' fees.