Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Select Committee on Justice and Equality
Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
9:00 am
Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source
The Courts Service makes the decision. I have undertaken to ask the service to look at the different costs of a greenfield site as compared to refurbishment. Over €200 has gone into courthouses, not counting the €20 million for the Central Criminal Court, so there is a very serious investment programme but there are an awful lot of courthouses across the country. The investment programme is managed by the Courts Service.
Deputy Wallace made a very good point about public private partnerships and they have to be constantly kept under review. My Department plays a role, along with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, as to what constitutes best delivery and value for a particular project. A range of criteria have to be taken into account. I have been involved in discussions on what is the best funding model for new projects but the answer is not fixed. The amount of Government expenditure available for capital investment is also a factor.
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