Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In respect of the stage payments for a project at present, I note it is akin to building a house. Were this entire fiasco to start again, is there anything to prevent a person at his grade from being scapegoated? There could be an attempt to scapegoat him because he is at such a junior level. I do not believe that.

I believe the responsibility lies with the Secretary General who set up the system which allowed somebody with such limited experience, and so far down the food chain, to sign off on half a million. Could a person in your Department sign off a stage payment for half a million today?