Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I agree with what has been said. In fairness, Deputy Murphy has done a good job in giving a comprehensive review of the situation. One of the issues is it was repeatedly implied during our previous conversations around it there was going to be a similar equal. It is now clear there is not going to be a similar equal.

I do not think we should let that go. It sets us back to square one and we need to look at it with fresh eyes. Most matters have been dealt with but I will raise two minor items. In the agreements for funding, one requirement, as well as not having private beneficiary arrangements, is making data freely available to Departments. Do they keep any notes on that? We are saying that we do not need it anymore. How often do Departments use that information in various reports? That is important. If we had used it as part of evidence-based policy-making and now we do not have it, where does that leave us?

We are relying on the Indecon report. There is an issue relating to tendering and involvement in Indecon. As far as I am aware, this is not the first time that we have come across reports undertaken by that company that have not necessarily gone out to public tender. Will the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform indicate how often reports are commissioned from economic consultants without going to public tender?