Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The next one is No. 1640B, which is from Mr. Mark Griffin, Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, dated 21 December 2022, providing information the committee requested regarding the ownership of National Broadband Ireland and an update regarding the national broadband plan. It is proposed to note and publish it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Deputy Munster wanted to discuss this and I suggest that we hold this item back because there have been significant changes at National Broadband Ireland with new owners and changes in the board structure, as members can see this in the letter. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We will move on to No. 1642B, which is from Mr. David Gunning, chief executive of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, dated 22 December 2022, providing an update on the implementation of recommendations made by the Committee of Public Accounts to the board following the committee's engagement on 9 February and 13 July 2021. It is proposed to note and publish it. Deputy and Munster and I have flagged this item. It raises as many questions as it answers in some ways. Some of the figures jumped out at me. At the end of November 2022, there were 1,764 claims notified for determination. The figure for substantiated claims was 1,450. The figure for claims determined by the employer's representative, ER, was 1,250. The contractor's value on those is just over half a billion euro at €507 million. The value of the ER-determined claims that are disputed and referred to the project board, conciliation and to the High Court is €480 million.

There is a very small amount no longer in dispute management. There is only just €1.4 billion. The sheer volume of claims being substantiated, which is at 1,440 currently, is astronomical. Perhaps the Comptroller and Auditor General could answer this question. There is a moratorium on claims, and it is referred to in this letter again. I remember us discussing this last year. Where stands that in regard to this matter? I take "moratorium" to mean that no new claims were allowed after a certain period.