Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Secretary General might have heard my previous comments. We have a major housing crisis, a major health crisis and have failed to deal with climate change. Therefore, I would like to know what he meant when he said in his opening statement that he seeks "to support economic and social progress." It is too late in the evening and I have already run through all of these matters. I ask him to note that I have a difficulty with his use of language. I have a difficulty when officials use difficult language as opposed to what I or ordinary people understand. When economic language is so different from the norm it becomes a crisis for democracy. Rather it serves a particular purpose but that is a debate for another day.

As for specific questions on the Department's documents, I have an outstanding question on the allegation of fraud and the money. I seek clarification on a point. The Department provided €181,438. In the normal course of events does it recoup the money from Europe? Does Ireland contribute to the PEACE project? We give it but do we get it back?