Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 22 June 2016
Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach
Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 11 (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform) (Revised)
Vote 12 (Superannuation and Retired Allowances) (Revised)
Vote 14 (State Laboratory) (Revised)
Vote 15 (Secret Service) (Revised)
Vote 17 (Public Appointments Service) (Revised)
Vote 18 (Shared Services) (Revised)
Vote 19 (Office of the Ombudsman) (Revised)
Vote 39 (Office of Government Procurement) (Revised)
9:00 am
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Yes. If there is capital expenditure involved in the acquisition of buildings and those buildings are not being used, we would have discussions with the line Departments on that. At times, there can be valid reasons that has not happened and why a building has been used or has changed and is not being used in the way we want. We would be as concerned as the Chairman if taxpayers' money was spent on the delivery of a facility which was not being used in the way that was intended. The Chairman is right to say that most of that work would happen through the OPW. The OPW also has a Vote that is accountable to me and we will work with it on such matters.