Ms Geraldine Tallon:

The DBO capital cost of the Wicklow treatment plant was 37% lower than the public sector benchmark and the whole life cost was 30% lower. The cost in Shanganagh was 7.7% higher than the public service benchmark, but the whole life cost was 13.3% lower than the public service benchmark. The DBO capital cost of the Clareville water treatment plant was 13% lower than the traditional procurement cost and the whole life cost was 12% lower. The DBO capital cost of the Portrane-Donabate-Rush-Lusk wastewater treatment plant was 17% lower than the traditional procurement cost and the DBO whole life cost was 46.7% lower than the public service benchmark. The DBO capital cost of the Tullamore treatment plant was 8.7% higher than the public service benchmark, but the whole life cost was 8.1% lower than the public service benchmark. As members will see, the figures vary quite a lot in terms of the specific plant involved. They also vary in terms of the capital cost and the whole life costing.