Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is way over time. I will let him back in a second time. I thank Mr. Gunning. I have some questions.

Mr. Gunning will recall that, in November last year, we wrote to the board requesting that the board come in. The issue we were concerned with was the timeline because we want to see the hospital built, like everybody else. As public representatives, we are acutely aware of that right across the political spectrum. There is obviously the issue of costs as well. Subsequently, as Mr. Gunning will recall, that engagement was delayed because the report was not ready. We met on 9 February and we were promised on that date that we would have that in the month of March. We are now into the second half of July, the second half of 2021. Although Mr. Gunning cannot speak for the Taoiseach, he will recall that the Taoiseach said that the national children's hospital project would be built by 2020. However, we learned today that the board and the Departments of Health and Public Expenditure and Reform are aware of where the landing point is in terms of price. As the Committee of Public Accounts, we are accountable to the public and to the taxpayer, who will see at the bottom of their wage packets this week deductions for PRSI, PAYE and various other deductions, and it is similar for self-employed people and small businesses across the country, yet we are not able to extract answers. Would Mr. Gunning, as the chief officer, agree that this is not satisfactory?