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

I do not expect Mr. Heffernan to answer it today. My emphasis here is on the title of his Department. It is the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. If ever anything cried out for reform, it is this process about which we have been talking for the past number of years. I would appreciate if he would reflect on it and give us his views.

I know we are late but I just want to get answers to some questions. There is an issue relating to Carlow County Council and the Revenue Commissioners regarding who is responsible for the payment of €1 million worth of VAT. Revenue was meant to decide on this, but if it was to decide that the local authority had to pay it, that is an issue for the local authority. It is a significant amount of money. I am concerned about the legal costs in all of this and the delay in making such a decision around this VAT issue. Is it possible to get a note from the county council as to the current status of this, the level of expenditure to date on legal costs and the council's intention regarding future costs in resolving this issue? Perhaps the Department might encourage the Revenue Commissioners to resolve the matter as well, as I have done, because it is an overhanging cost. I do not think it can be quantified for the future in terms of the legal costs, but someone should bring a bit of sense to this and resolve it. Again, it is an interdepartmental issue, regardless, involving Revenue, local government and one local authority. Could the Department check on it and let me know about it?

Another issue relates to the Kilkenny central access scheme, which involves the construction of a bridge in Kilkenny city and investment in what is called the brewery site. Is the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government investing in that site?