Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

In this year's budgetary allocation, my Department has already been given €4 million to begin the work on the creation and resourcing of the agency to commence the work in Tuam. Once this legislation is passed, we can rapidly move to establishing the agency. I know that family members and those in Tuam particularly welcome that.

Every Minister who wants to do anything under any legislation requires funding. Funding requires engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. That is a reality for all Ministers. Virtually every piece of legislation with a funding requirement requires engagement with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and his Department. This is a phrase used across legislation, recognising that no Department funds itself; we are funded through the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This phrase does nothing more than reflect the reality of a budgetary process whereby all financial decisions I seek to make are initiated with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform through the Estimates process. It is nothing more than that.