John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

If these figures did not come in some way from the taxpayer, you have wasted four hours today and four hours yesterday. There would be nothing to worry about. I am worried because it is taxpayers' money and it is a huge amount of money to pay for consultants. The direct answers regarding the assets that were acquired for that €50 million must be stated clearly. The explanations asked for in respect of a spend of €6 million on due diligence or €4 million on other works must be given. What is happening here is that there is a passing of the parcel. It goes around the house and whoever is holding it last must explain it. That is what appears to be happening to the taxpayer.

What I am trying to get from you is a sense of urgency about protecting that money and understanding how it is spent. That is a reasonable thing to ask. I am not creating any doubt, Mr. McGowan, about your office, I am just saying that the public conversation about this often happens in this room through the Committee of Public Accounts and we are not part of it, yet it is taxpayers' money. The Comptroller and Auditor General's office should be used. He is the chief financial officer of the State. I will not rest easy until that matter is cleared up. Using terms for how to describe this money and putting generalities around it is not satisfactory. The public sees €150 million. It sees money coming from the National Pensions Reserve Fund, local government and from the household charge. It is taxpayers' money, and I do not have any other way to describe it. I will not rest easy until such time as we have some input from the Comptroller and Auditor General. Indeed, that is my view on the Department as well, Ms Tallon, as you know.