Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Surely the OPW considers this situation advantageous. This is one of few situations in which a State body can have the views of the Committee of Public Accounts and the Comptroller and Auditor General before a financial transaction is made. The OPW will not have to risk the prospect of negative reports or comments on its audit. It will not have to take the risk that the committee will retrospectively state that it is crazy that the OPW would even contemplate paying €1.5 million when it does not need to. The OPW now has advance warning of that, which is advantageous for its decision-making process.