Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Corcoran Kennedy will understand the reason I would not publish the cost-benefit analysis while we are involved in negotiations for reasons of commercial sensitivity. Obviously the Government would not wish to show its hand, except as it chose, with its prospective partner. However, when all this is over, I will be willing to examine this again. Two different sets of circumstances offer, the first being a scenario in which I have an agreement. In such a case, I probably would need to be selective on what I would reveal, given that I then would have a commercial partner. If there is no agreement, I would be in a different position. However, I assure the Deputy that I took this very seriously and got the best advice I could on what were the economic prospects. Certainly, when the talks have concluded, successfully or otherwise, I will be glad to put information in this regard into the public domain or at least to supply it to Members of these Houses and this committee.

I refer to the general thrust of the quality of engagement the Deputy raised with regard to local communities and all that kind of thing. While I was not avoiding the question but forgot it, someone earlier raised the issue of these developers who have bought land or options on land or who have purchased lease options or whatever. Deputy Corcoran Kennedy asked whether this is the correct order. The problem is that I do not have a role in preventing any would-be businessman from seeking to purchase interest in land in any part of the country. I did not send them down to the midlands with a whip and tell them to buy up land options there. Business people try to gain-----