Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 9 May 2019

Public Accounts Committee

Business of Committee

9:00 am

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I was going to make exactly that point. There is some information that would be useful for the report. In recent weeks, an issue with regard to the cost of turnkey as opposed to direct build was revealed and we should include it. It is something that was raised here and we got an undertaking that the categories would be published separately. On average, it costs about one third more to buy turnkey as opposed to a direct build. Given the scale of the housing crisis, direct build would certainly be a big part of the solution.

How do we intend to go about publishing the report? It was to be a dual report on the national broadband plan and the work we have done on housing. We have had hearings on both. I realise an announcement was made. We had a meeting scheduled yesterday to look at the draft report but a majority of the committee decided not to go ahead with it. What way will we proceed? There is a valuable contribution to be made in the work we have done on broadband, particularly on the forerunner to the national broadband plan, which was the metropolitan area networks. The draft report is a start but there are significant gaps that we need to address. We will have to meet and go through the gaps. Is it intended to publish the housing report separately? Is it intended to have a dual report? What will we decide to do? What is the plan of action?

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.