Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

There are several issues I want to raise on this. One of these is the midterm review of the National Development Plan 2021-2030. Can we go back to the Department and ask how far advanced the review is? Can we have a date for when it expects to have it completed? I ask because one of the projects is DART+ West, which goes as far as 300 m from the railway station in Kilcock. To get it from there to the railway station requires a different process. We have been told by the National Transport Authority that it is looking at a bolt-on process that could possibly happen in tandem with the project. This is my reason for asking. I am sure others will be looking for this information also.

Another issue I want to raise is one I have been raising continuously. It is Walter Scott House on Military Road, the new Garda national support services headquarters. I am well aware that it is open and functioning as I go past it regularly so I can see it. There was an issue regarding the number of people it could accommodate. Is additional off-site car parking being used and paid for? There are some additional units in there now and they are desk sharing. I do not have a problem with desk sharing but how are they being accommodated?

There was a freedom of information response and newspaper article regarding the national train control centre at Heuston Station which states the NTA will provide the Department with a detailed note outlining how the NTA, Irish Rail and Indra intend to mitigate delays and cost overruns on the project, that this will be discussed at the October meeting of the major projects governance oversight group, and that Irish Rail will provide the NTA with the best case, worst case and most likely scenario of the delays to the project and cost overruns. We should seek this information.

Work is ongoing at the Garda headquarters in Phoenix Park. As we know two other facilities, Clyde House and an Intreo centre on the Navan Road, are being used as temporary facilities for the Garda while this work is under way. It surprised some of the local people when they saw their Intreo centre disappear. Can we request all of the costs to date that relate to Clyde House and the Navan Road Intreo centre, and the status of the project at this stage?

Is it likely to be on time and on budget?

Regarding the National Cyber Security Centre, can we request the business case for the use of Grant Thornton for the provision of procurement consultancy? I understand that cost €137,000. We need to understand why that would be needed. It is a lot of money. I have no problem if it is going to be properly used. Was it decided to do that before or after the cyberattack on the HSE?