Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I will be fairly succinct in making some comments following on from our previous discussion. Section 26(1)(b) provides that one of the functions of the NTMA is "to provide advice to any State authority on all aspects of financing, refinancing and insurance of public investment projects to be duly undertaken by means of public private partnership arrangements or within the public sector". Section 26(1)(e) more specifically provides that the NTMA can "enter into any arrangement or contract to procure as agent for the Minister for Education and Skills any public investment project in relation to a school, educational facility or other building or structure". Am I correct in suggesting that there is nothing to preclude this legislation from providing that one of the functions of the NTMA could be to enter into an arrangement or contract with a local authority or voluntary housing agency to procure and finance in any way major projects of social and affordable homes?