Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 7:

In page 27, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following:"(c) any expenditure under the Public Capital Programme.".

This is an enabling section. It provides that "[t]he Agency may [provide, at] the request of any Minister of the Government ... advisory services or project management services". Would it be of use to the Minister if we were to add in the words "any expenditure under the public capital programme"? It might do so informally anyway; it might have acquired such a reputation for expertise that people might say, "Let us give these people a call; they have a useful contribution to make." It would not tie any Minister's hands, but if we are building up the expertise, let us use it comprehensively, rather than just in specific areas. We use to boast that our public capital programme was about twice the size of any other such programme the European Union. Perhaps they knew something more about it than we did in that they decided to do much less of it, but that is an aside. Is this proposal of use in the working of the new agency? Is it of use to the Minister and his Government colleagues that the agency can provide this kind of advice and project management services?