Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Brogan and the other witnesses. I apologise as I had a number of other engagements that meant I was late. I think I have got a significant understanding of how the interaction has gone and I could probably guess some of that on the basis of Ms Brogan’s opening statement. In fairness, the Chairman has stated the difficulties that were put clearly in front of us, especially by TII, in regard to public works contracts, and I am not going to rehash that as it is obviously a system that will not work. It is a fact we have not got to the point of having a system that is fit for purpose to deliver the national development plan at this time.

One of the questions I want to put concerns the fact this is not the first time the State will have entered into contracts during inflationary periods and, therefore, I am not sure any of us understand the inability to get a fit-for-purpose system in play. I am guessing from what Ms Brogan said previously the Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in regard to the contracting system and, at the same time, it is interacting with other stakeholders, be they contractors, the industry or whoever else. I would like Ms Brogan to go into some detail in that regard, but if she is not going to, she is not going to, and there is no point rehashing that and going over old ground.

On another issue, we had the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and others before the committee and they spoke about planning. We know the Attorney General is doing a piece of work in that regard because there are obvious difficulties with our planning system. On some of that, there is tinkering, for want of a better term, and maybe major tinkering needs to be done. However, beyond that, it is a fact we need to resource certain areas, whether the judicial system, An Bord Pleanála or otherwise. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, has used the term that it is almost the survival of the fittest in regard to planning applications. While we need due diligence done, for the companies that are contracting, one of the issues is that it can be two years down the line.

There is always a danger with a fixed contract but in an inflationary period such as this people just could not enter one unless there was a huge allowance. We have had contracts such as this before. What is the hold-up? I would like as much detail as possible on the Department's interaction. I would also like wider information on planning, particularly the Department's interaction with the Attorney General and whoever else is looking at the anomalies and difficulties that exist.