Mr. Ken Spratt:

Before I get into the specifics of MetroLink, it is important for me to recall that we have the revised public spending code, which ensures we get maximum value for money from all our capital projects. It was revised as a result of some pretty bad experiences with some pretty big capital projects. We have a number of decision gates, starting with decision gate 0, a strategic assessment report. We would then move into the preliminary business case, which is subject to an external review. We then move to full cost-benefit analysis in order to proceed to tender, and again that is subject to an external review. Only then would we go with another second full cost-benefit analysis prior to the awarding of contract.

That is important in ensuring that when we are spending billions of euro of taxpayers' money in this case, we get our decisions right. This public spending code and process guards against cost escalation. It is really important that we go through those processes and find ourselves explaining our approach on this side of procurements rather than on the other side of procurements, when we could be in much trickier positions after public spending on capital projects go wrong. This code is really important and it has been welcomed by Secretaries General and Government officials. It guards against cost escalation by ensuring we have really high standards when it comes to business cases. It also ensures we have persistent challenge throughout projects and independent and rigorous challenge right throughout projects.

There is a really strong focus in the public spending code on governance and delivery. Therefore, we are able to emphasise front-end decision making and really get the cost estimation and benefit projection right. We are able to get delivery schedules right. This is why I am emphasising the point. The delivery schedule and procurement strategy are really important. If we get cost estimations, benefit projections, delivery schedule and the procurement strategy right, we will not have implementation difficulties or requests for extra tens or hundreds of millions of euro or even billions of euro. Ultimately, we will not have failure. It is really important for me to set that out.

On the scheduling, we are still in the early stages for MetroLink. We are at the preliminary business case stage. That has been received by us and we are reviewing it, as required under the public spending code. Once the review is complete, it will be submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for its technical review.