Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am substituting for Deputy Burton, who cannot be here. I realise there have been many questions and answers.

I want to ask Mr. Howard a few questions and follow on from the questions asked by Deputy Wallace. Mr. Howard has said on record that his Department measures "the effectiveness of the framework in delivering the public interest".

Mr. Howard states he does not see the Department as reviewing policy in this regard. Surely policy must be reviewed in terms of delivering the public interest when it comes to the subcontractors. The State must have an obligation to look after the interests of the subcontractors, the interests of the public generally and, indeed, the interests of the children who will attend the schools, their families and their local communities. I can understand why, back in 2009 and 2010 when there was no access to funding, PPPs became a good option, because they were off balance sheet. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform would surely have to review the public interest and policy. There are some 400 subcontractors at crisis point, and 10% of them have actually folded. Is there not a broad public interest here that needs to be addressed? The use of PPPs, where the economy is not in crisis, is something the Department needs to question.