Mr. John McCarthy:

The public sector benchmark is obviously kept confidential from a procurement point of view, in order to provide the comparative benchmark against which bids will ultimately be assessed. In overall terms, within the guidance and structures that apply to PPP projects, there are various checks and balances in place. These include the appointment of process auditors and other players within the system to provide assurance accordingly while the project is progressing. The National Development Finance Agency is acting as the procuring agency on behalf of ourselves and the local authorities for this process. It has a wealth of experience in undertaking PPP projects of different kinds. We have as good a capacity as is possible within the public system to ensure we are embarking on something in a way that provides the necessary assurances that we will actually get value for money. The public sector benchmark is not just for construction, but also maintenance and management, etc., over a 25-year period, compared with what the private sector bidders submit as part of the procurement process.

I will come back to the Deputy on how much information subsequently becomes available once the procurement process is actually complete. Clearly it cannot while the process is going on because it would prejudice it. I will come back to the Deputy with a note concerning how it can pan out afterwards.