Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

To be honest, I am not satisfied with the response because it is a bit dismissive. Mr. Watt says that comprehensive information "is not compiled" on the indirect costs associated with projects affected by the liquidation of a contractor or other parties. He goes on to say "...it is clear, on the basis of the information that is available, that the liquidation of a contractor on a project being delivered using traditional procurement generally has a significantly greater impact in terms of cost to the State ...". How do we know that if information on the indirect costs associated with PPPs is not even being compiled? The statement is very broad, with no substance behind it. Mr. Watt is saying that, on the one hand, we do not have the full list of costs, particularly indirect costs, while, on the other, he is asserting that PPPs have less of an impact in terms of costs to the State.

Section 9.4 of the framework for PPPs states that "full disclosure of all relevant information relating to the conduct of the PPP over time should be encouraged in order to minimise the scope for costly information gaps". Even that statement is not-----