Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It should be noted that we should be on our third speaker by now as the time allotted to our first and second speakers has been used. I have spent weeks preparing for this meeting and I ask the Chair to note that. I believe the other members of the committee agree with me.

I have asked to be provided with correspondence on several occasions and parliamentary questions have been tabled in that regard. I have requested information at meetings over the past number of weeks. I ask the Secretary General, as the most senior representative before us, to note that getting information has been like pulling teeth. I sought information from Mr. Costello, Mr. Pollock and others at the health committee two weeks ago but have not been provided with that information. I want it by tomorrow. The delay is unacceptable. If it has been provided in the past 24 hours, that is fine. I ask our guests to look to the transcripts. I presume information requests are noted and the information then provided. It has not been provided to me. For example, I raised issues regarding figures for bed usage in the three hospitals currently and for the past three years. I have not been provided with that information. I asked a range of other questions and tabled several parliamentary questions. Mr. Breslin is aware of my concerns in that regard. I expect them to be appropriately addressed.

We are operating under time constraints and I want my colleagues to have the opportunity to put questions. I wanted to get in a second time but that will not be possible. I ask our guests to provide concise answers. I do not mean to be curt but this is the situation we are in.

I understand the breakdown given by Mr. Breslin. I ask that he provide the table to which he referred to all members. It has been made available to me. Is Mr. Breslin confident that the entire project including the fit-out and all associated works such as the satellite centres and so on will be completed for less than €2 billion? Can he guarantee that the project will come in for less than €2 billion?