Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There are 300 on this scheme per year, receiving €1.3 million. If we divide €1.3 million by 300, we get €4,333 per individual on average. If we multiply that by the 80,950 the Minister of State estimates are eligible, this amounts to €82 million. The figures provided to us were €200 million and €100 million, but we are still short of that - at €229 million - based on the Department's figures. I reckon those figures are based on the worst case scenario, based on the highest grant that would be payable. The point I am trying to make is that when we add up the figures, they seem to be very much towards the high end of the scale. The Secretary General also mentioned the changes that have taken place with regard to policy, the rural transport scheme, the Vantastic scheme etc. Surely, not every person who is eligible will avail of the scheme. Therefore, I contend the Department is over-egging the cost of the potential solution. We need more realistic figures on the possible solution.

This is an interdepartmental problem, affecting transport, finance, social welfare, health, etc. Has an interdepartmental working group been put together to consider a solution and if not, why not? My final question relates to a systemic issue. One of the roles of this committee is to consider problems of a systemic nature. When a Minister comes into office and is given a brief, is he or she told of the contingent liabilities in the Department? If so, was this issue a contingent liability that was highlighted to the Ministers when they took office? If I was a director of a non-profit company and was doing my annual accounts, I would be obliged to include a contingent liability if there was a danger somebody would take a legal case against me. There is a potential case here of up to at least €229 million, according to the Department's figures. Was the Minister of State made aware of that? Is it part of the departmental process that when a Minister is briefed, contingent liabilities such as this are flagged? Was this one flagged?