John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The two-year period will run until 2021. Effectively, Mr. Conlon is saying that the Department will assess at that point whether the scheme is worthwhile or the cost-benefit analysis is favourable. That is totally unacceptable. Some €84 million has been spent up to now, and Mr. Conlon cannot tell us how many people have gone back into full-time employment. I thought he would have that very basic information. That is disappointing. This issue has been referred to the Committee for Public Accounts, because it is essential that the taxpayers know we are getting value for money. It is totally unacceptable for the officials to say that we have to wait until 2021 to evaluate whether or not it is of benefit to the taxpayer.