Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last week I spoke about the Public Service Management Act 1997 and, specifically, about the positions of advisers to Ministers. Advisers are the only people who are not accountable in any way to the public. I am asking the Leader to organise a debate in this House where we can explore how this might change and make the appointees more accountable, perhaps to Oireachtas committees. I am not saying Ministers should not have policy advisers - I have no difficulty whatsoever with that - or expertise that they may need, but the public has a right to know who they are. We spent €4.9 million last year on advisers, at an average salary of €86,500. That is a great deal of money and a great many advisers. We should have a debate on it. It is time to kick it out in the open and look at it from a public information perspective. Every Minister, Deputy, Senator and county councillor is accountable and it is important that we know who is advising Ministers and what angle they are coming from. We only have to look across the water and see what an adviser can achieve that is dangerous. From that perspective, I would like to have that debate.

My colleague, Senator Mullen, spoke about the Garda Síochána. Policing in this country is by consent and to try and use the police to enforce something without giving them the powers is a nonsense. We need a debate in this House with the Minister for justice to explore how the Garda might be given some degree of enforcement powers with respect to the difficulties we have. I have no difficulty with public protests, etc., but what we saw on Grafton Street last week is an affront to the entire population of this country who are trying to escape the worst ravages of Covid-19. We get these people sitting shoulder to shoulder on Grafton Street, not only putting their own lives at risk but putting the lives of every citizen who walks or works on that street. They should be held accountable. I am delighted to see the Garda is investigating the organisers. The Bundestag announced today that there is a fine of €5,000 for Members of the Bundestag who parade through the House without a mask. I wonder if that would work in Leinster House. At the end of the day, speaking to people of my own age and older, they are petrified by these demonstrations. We should all uphold the right to demonstrate but it is unacceptable in this country at any time to put people's lives at risk by walking shoulder to shoulder and screaming at citizens to take off their masks. I want a debate with the Minister for justice on that.