Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests. It is obvious that there are grave concerns. Mr. Desmond stated that there is no doubt that the additional costs associated with the project are of great concern. I am sure the people sitting at home and the members here who are worried about their local projects and the knock-on consequences of this catastrophic overrun will take a massive amount of comfort from the fact that senior people in the Department are greatly concerned about the project. We are here to find out what, if anything, was being done to curb it. Mr. Desmond also stated, "we must have assurance that phase B of the construction project will be delivered within budget and timescale". I thought that was a joke, but apparently it is not. Who will be providing that assurance? Presumably, the Department is dealing with the same personnel it has been dealing with all along. There is no significant change in personnel. I share the view on what does and does not constitute competency in respect of the board, based on the actions and this overrun.

From whom will the Department get the assurance, particularly in view of the fact that it states that it must be assured that phase B of the construction project will be delivered within budget and timescale? Perhaps the witness could answer in two parts. First, there is why that assurance was not available initially. It is becoming increasingly obvious that senior people went into this project with a hands-off approach to spending, which is why we are here. Now the Department is concerned about the spending, which is welcome if a little late. However, it is going back to the same people to seek assurances on phase B. How will it assess those and why were such assurances not sought or given or why were they not part of the project in any way in the run-up to this?