Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Mr. Breslin and Ms Duffy to the committee and I congratulate the Minister on the birth of his new daughter. He should enjoy her because they grow up fast - believe me.

Every time the Minister and, to a greater degree, the Taoiseach are questioned about the overspend, they start talking about how the children of this country are worth it and how it will be state of the art. They use up much time talking about the obvious, but I have never heard anyone on the committee suggest that the children of this country did not deserve the best. I would like if both of them, but in particular the Taoiseach, did not spend two or three minutes saying how great our children are and how they deserve the best every time they are asked about the overspend.

The Minister said earlier that we are comparing apples and oranges because it is a different time and a different site. If that is the case, why is he so shocked by the overspend, why did he not see it coming and why did he not say it could happen?