David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

All this came from the Comptroller and Auditor General's special report. My understanding is these properties are being transferred in lieu of cash. There was a settlement of cash and properties. If we have a difficulty, as an Teachta Connolly has said, where some of these properties have deteriorated such that their values have changed, does that come into it and does it mean the State could end up being short-changed again?

We are all aware of what the report contained and we have given our own views on whether the State was short-changed in any way in the context of the deal that was done. Are we going to be further short-changed? As a result of numerous delays, the properties are falling into a poor state and are not being maintained. When they are eventually transferred over, money has to be spent to bring them up to standard so there is no value at all to the State. It might even do the religious orders a favour to take them off their hands in some cases. There are serious issues in that regard and I would like to get the Comptroller and Auditor General's view on the matter. It is my understanding that this was part of the orders' way to pay the compensation. I imagine that a value was attached to these properties at the time. If the value is different now, where does that leave the arrangement?