-----on a wink and a nod.

Check the record. Yes.

No.

Will you-----

You did not want us in government.

When?

Will the Government restore the borough councils?

No, I will not. When will he return them?

Gabhaim buíochas and I compliment the Independent Group for bringing forward this motion. I was delighted to meet Richard Gleeson, the vintners' representative, and Michael Foley, of Foley's Bar in Cashel. They run two fabulous establishments, one in Clonmel and one in Cashel as do the other publicans and the other people who were there yesterday. Some 600 such establishments have closed. What more does the Government want? It caps it all then for those people going home last night, who were saddened that they had …

I am sure the Minister has heard the song, "It's a Long Way to Tipperary". Tipperary town has been forgotten by successive Governments. We were promised and had great hopes for an outer relief road or bypass. The N24, which is to be the M24, is trudging along ever so slowly, and God knows when we will see the funding for it or see it developed. Tipperary town is choked with trucks, lorries and cars and business cannot flourish there either because it is choked with trucks on a daily basis, from early morning until …

I see that the Minister for Finance, tá sé imithe. With his first budget he had plenty of money and heaps of opportunities but he failed. He kow-towed to the big people again, the big business. Let us take the situation where a kite was flown about the 20% stamp duty on the conglomerate buying up houses. The Government puts it up 5%. I and the Rural Independent Group wrote in our submission that we wanted a 50% rate because four in every ten houses are being gobbled up by these conglomerates. There was no limit the…

I welcome the improvements in the budget as regards PRSI for self-employed persons, although we are starting from a low base. When the crash came, employees were rightly able to get supports. They had paid in, as had their employers. However, a self-employed person with a van – a plasterer, welder, fitter, block layer or whatever – got nothing. While I accept that a lower rate has been introduced in recent budgets and self-employed people are getting some benefits, perhaps they should be given the option of paying …

We all know that problem gambling can lead to a total breakdown of social cohesion. It is a problem. I understand where the Minister of State is coming from with that. I was one of those who lobbied on behalf of the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation, GAA clubs and all kinds of fundraising. Indeed, we have a fundraiser in my own parish at the moment, called "Do it for Declan". He is a young men who is 40 this Sunday. There will be a massive day in my own village of Newcastle in an effort to fundraise to help him t…

It was not personal but the fact is that he is doing a solo run and is rushing this legislation. There was a refusal to engage with major stakeholders - simple as.

It is bad legislation and it is being rushed.

We are at the risk here of becoming a nanny state, if we are going to be making applications for lifeblood issues that keep clubs running. National lottery sports grants were announced recently and I salute every club. They put in impeccable and professional applications. Some may have got professional advice and that costs a lot of money too but many did them on their own. They have become a dab hand at them now. They have split the bucket - the weekly lotto and many different fundraisers. Occasionally, as Deputy …

When does the Minister of State intend to enact the Bill? I am concerned that every authority we set up has to have the brass plate on the wall, plush offices, staff, a CEO, perhaps a deputy CEO, and board members that cost a lot of money. None of the members of the Marine Casualty Investigation Board had seagoing experience. The mushrooming of these quangos is out of control. The rain falling tonight is heavy. The Minister of State must be spreading some kind of nitrogen because these organisations are mushrooming…

Weeks.

There are thousands of restaurant owners and small business people outside the Dáil, including pub owners, hotel owners and representatives of the catering industry. This is a vital industry to rural Ireland and it is a slap in the teeth for them that the Government totally turned its back on them and it did not reduce the VAT rate to 9% in the recent budget. I am appealing now, on behalf of the Rural Independent Group, that we have a proper debate on this and that something be done. There are 270,000 people employ…

The election is on.