The Government was accused of spending millions of euro of taxpayers' money in a Private Member's motion moved by the technical group.
During the three-hour debate, over two nights, Mr Finian McGrath (Independent, Dublin North Central) said the issues involved were the squandering of public money, the rich-poor gap, the needs of the health service, the delay in the publication of the Disability Bill, the housing waiting-list, educational disadvantage, the care of the elderly, and the urgent need for a just society based on equality.
"We have the scandal of hundreds of thousands in taxpayers' money being spent every second week on legal cases against families that have children and adults with disabilities. On the broader issue of housing, there are 48,000 households on waiting-lists. The national housing needs assessment compiled by local authorities completely underestimates the number of people with disabilities in need of housing."
Dr Liam Twomey (Independent, Wexford) said that the cost of tribunals mirrored the cost of legal services in the State.
He accused the Minister for Communications, Mr Ahern, of sniping at what general practitioners earned. "A GP would need to see 100 private patients in a day to earn the fees of one of the senior counsel at the tribunal. The same GP would need to look after more than 5,000 patients to earn the fees of junior barristers in the tribunals. This is something to be urgently tackled by the Government."
Mr Paudge Connolly (Independent, Cavan-Monaghan) said: "Some time ago, anyone who had to borrow money was aware of how much every citizen owed. I wonder if any thought has been given to finding out how much has been squandered on our behalf."
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, defended the Government: "The three chefs of the technical group, Messrs Ó Caolain, Sargent and Higgins, come from the 'can't cook, won't cook' school of catering. It is a pinch of Sinn Féin borrowing here, a dash of Green taxation there and a splash of indigestible Trotskyite madness for flavour."
Mr Joe Higgins (Socialist Party, Dublin West) said that in any other jurisdiction "the accountability school of catering" would have seen Mr Cullen "stewing." A Government amendment endorsing its policy was carried by 59 votes to 50.
