Michael Collins demands Department of Efficiency over waste

I have listened to all the speakers here today, but I am very used to find you in some of the parties here that continue to count out waste inside this stall. We put forward a solution, a working solution, I do not think they put any amendment to it, but they came in and criticised it, which is outrageous. Social Democrats said they do not believe in this new body, so we continue basically with the waste that is going on at the moment? Outrageous. How do you face your electorate talking like that, talking two sides of the same mould? Your same deputy said that we do not need to cut NGOs. We certainly need to look at monies that are spent. Some NGOs are out there working brilliant work, but there is certainly a huge amount of waste it. I am beginning to worry, have people another agenda? Were they working as NGOs before they came into the Dáil and they want to protect that service? We look at people before profit. He calls the Department of Dodge. We came up with this idea well before any of the US officials came up with this idea. In January of last year we were putting it into our proposals on our website, on our policies, and we stand over them. We were ahead of the pack on this one. Let the others follow suit, whether it is in America or England, let them follow suit. We are well ahead of the pack. That same deputy for people before profit said, let us look under the bonnet. Even though he criticised our proposal, let us look under the bonnet. The same deputy said last week we should not have a fossil fuel car, an electric car or an SUV. He wants no bonnet. So is it under the mudguard of a bike? He wants to look under. That will tell you how far out of reality that deputy is. And we look at the neighbour who would want a watchdog. We are the watchdog. What have we achieved as politicians here? We have not achieved anything in relation to the expenditure and the money being blown in this country, left, right and centre. And, Minister, when I see your proposals performed, your minimum is scandalous. You are not even in any way, shape or form going to address the wastages in this country. And I look at one of your last pages. Furthermore, Article 33 of the Constitution of Ireland established the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. And the Office is a key institution in the checks and balances of our democracy. It continues to serve the state well. And its reports are considered in higher regard. How can it continue? How can it continue to serve the state well with the absolute scandalous waste that is going on? Minister, you got up and you defended that. You should be ashamed of yourself to do that. Because you are a man I respect. You are a man I respect. But I won't respect you for that. If you don't mind me saying no. How can you defend any government or previous government that has spent $808,000 on a dollar printer and wasted the money? $1.43 million on a security unit. $2.5 billion heading to $3 billion on a children's hospital. $22 million on a COVID ventilator never used. $2.5 billion on medical compensation payouts. Doll bike shelter of $336,000. And you want to call it some other name? Doll bike shelter? Come on to hell to it. It's $336,000 of hard-earned taxpayers' money. People who get up in the morning who work their butts off for this country. And you're robbing them out the back pocket. And that's not fair. And you stand there and try to defend that. $825,000 for Ivy House refurbishment. $300 million on the Metro and North Link. That was never built. $490,000 for a wall with the Work Race Relations Group. $7 million by Arts Council on IT. $120,000 National Gallery Scanner. Electric buses purchased with no charges for a year and a half. We need a Department of Efficiency. We don't need to look across anywhere. Across the world. Stand on our own two feet. See them billions, not millions that have been wasted here. And make us accountable. Because what happens is the public out there are pointing the finger at every politician. And not every politician is wrong. And not every civil servant is wrong. And not every NGO is wrong. But there is wrong. And we need to stand up and be strong in our voice to defend the taxpayer in this country. To defend the ordinary hard-working people. To defend the people who worked hard in this country and are now retired and are suffering in the cold because they can't pay for the oil bill or they can't pay for the electric bill. And Minister, it's a shame in this Government. And a shame for another expenditure. Look at the bottom here. $54.6 million on e-voting a number of years ago. Nobody's head rolls. It's packed in the back time in this country. It's basically a Government investigating themselves. And I ask you to change your mind here today. And accept that the Department of Efficiency and Reform is needed. And this is going to be run by independent people who have a mind to change this country. And give the money back to the people. The money that they can to have services. Like wastewater treatment plants. Like public transport services. Like the people of Balance Gartney. Who have their rivers cleaned out and get their hoses flooded. That's where we're at, Minister. They had no money in the purse. And no money announced yet. Thank you. The debate has now concluded. Put in two's amendment to the Minister's amendment. As follows. So that the amendment to the amendment be made. The amendment to the amendment to the amendment be made. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The debate has concluded. I will now put in two's amendment to the Minister's amendment. As follows. So that the amendment to the amendment be made. Thank you.