Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is some role for us to try to get to the bottom of the expenditure of taxpayers' money - the timing of it. I share the view of the Comptroller and Auditor General in terms of how we go about it, or I would be guided by views on that. We would also need to extend the request to the Prison Service as well, which possibly since Deputy Ross has written his request has also come to light. The fact that the current Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality, who is the Accounting Officer today for the justice spend, was as at that time, from my understanding, the head of the Prison Service, he may well be able to cast some light on this. The nub of the question I would like to get answered is how much was spent on such equipment? What was the understanding of the purpose for which that equipment was being purchased and what did the equipment ultimately end up being used for? We need to be careful in regard to the timing and I think we need to include the Prison Service.