Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment of my colleague, Senator Boyhan, to the Order of Business.

My grandmother used to say to me "mind the pennies and the pounds will mind themselves". As the Cathaoirleach will be aware, I have spoken here and in committees about the contract for search and rescue which is currently being negotiated by the Government. The contract will cost somewhere north of €1.3 billion for five helicopters over four bases. Our colleagues in the UK have 18 helicopters over 12 bases for €1.6 billion. We will pay roughly €250 million more per base over the ten years of the contract.

I heard the Minister, Deputy Ryan, on Newstalk radio yesterday evening - it is there for everyone to listen to - talking about how they had to go after the HSE charges against the old and the impoverished families and how they had to take legal advice. I have been screaming at him for two and a half years, asking him to look at what is going on in his Department. He is more concerned about the old age pension some pensioner has robbed in a nursing home than he is about looking at what is going on in his Department. I have a letter from him and his colleague at the time, the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, stating they did not know what was going on with this contract but they trusted the officials to do a good job.Over recent weeks and months we are hearing time and again that the advice of the Office of the Attorney General or of the Department was taken. We can no longer continue to hide behind advice that is not made public. It is simply not good enough. This morning, we talked to the Department of Transport regarding a marine accident investigation. I am told, with respect to the death of Caitríona Lucas, that some people were not interviewed as a result of that accident but, of course, we are not allowed to see the report and we will never know. The bottom line is that it is time to come out in the open. The public are able to take the information when it is given to them. The public are not afraid. I would ask that we stop hiding behind things, start looking at the pounds and leave the pennies to mind themselves.