Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that. It is just that Mr. Breslin has now provided more information that we did not have before.

I was taken by the reviews that occurred between August and December, and the Secretary General's honesty when he said he would not change certain things but would change certain actions. I am aware, from other committee meetings, that the electrical and mechanical issues here cause the escalation. I asked Mr. Pollock to break down the make up of this figure in August 2018. I was told that it was made up of the €983 million, plus the €200 million, plus the VAT, plus the urgent care centres, plus the issues with two contractors. This brings us to the figure we now have. There are three boards or committees involved. There have to be groups in charge of electrical and mechanical issues and other areas. Those groups work in particular silos and have responsibility for those particular issues. Why did they not flag the problems?

Ultimately, if PwC does not get down to what this was, we will have all been taken for fools.

Mr. Breslin flagged the matter of early-warning systems. Something was quite clear to me from evidence given by Mr. Costello and Mr. Pollock. Electrical and mechanical engineering were two huge cost bases which arose, but it was amazing that once the user engagement process between the three hospitals and representatives concluded, it is obvious that the costs went up too. When Mr. Breslin refers to early warning, does that relate to all these aspects, such as user engagement, and electrical and mechanical engineering, or does he refer to other things? I thought Mr. Breslin's statement was very honest.