Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The words of the Minister on the floor of the Dáil are a matter to be discussed in the Chamber. The Secretary General is responsible for his actions. The Minister is not here to answer. Irrespective of the advice the Minister gets from the Department, anything he says on the floor of the Dáil is information for which he is answerable on the floor the Dáil, not at a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts. The public will be aghast and that is why Deputy Shane Cassells expressed concern. It is said the project was within budget but that it was known there was a problem, with the result that it is said it is within budget because of the position on advice on the budget. It is not splitting hairs; it is-----