John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes. I am very concerned now about statements about 1,600 claims amounting to €670 million, with the Department putting a value of €12 million on them. I can see a major row here with a heavyweight like BAM Ireland . That is taxpayers' money.

There are these layers in between, with the board and the different oversight groups that are there. I do not know who has the information from STS, but I would have hoped the Minister would have had all of the information and that he would have been constantly briefed. I am not going to go into it further bar saying again that it is down to governance, responsibility and accountability. I am gone beyond being shocked in this place because of what I have seen here, and the only thing we can do to assist the Department in the delivery of the hospital on time is to show clear intent to the contractor that we have a watchful eye on the project and that we will try to contain, by way of public comment, what the final cost will be.

I do not know if the Minister wishes to address any of those comments.