Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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There are statements on PPPs in the Dáil later. We should make these documents known to all Deputies in order that they can read it before they contribute to the debate. The letter is helpful. It is the beginning of our trawl for information and I am glad we received it. I agree that we should examine PPPs in detail.

I raised the successful legal challenge relating to the Tuam-Gort motorway. The required information was not given to the European auditors. I am raising this again this because lack of information does not help transparency. It was one example where all the information should have been handed over. It begs the question as to why this did not happen. I have a difficulty with that and I will repeat that at every opportunity I get.

Mr. Watt referred us to the Arthur Cox briefing note and I have looked at it briefly. It states there is an additional requirement on the Department and various agencies to give reasons a tender was unsuccessful. That has not been addressed in his note. Private companies are not interested anymore in the public sector, according to the briefing note. We are told there has been a marked change in the behaviour of bidders who are now less reliant on the public sector for business and can as a result be more selective in terms of tendering for new business. I would love to come back to that interesting comment. The briefing note further states, "They are now also much more aware of, and willing, to enforce their legal rights", as if there was something wrong with that. They are entitled to enforce their legal rights. The obligation is on the agency awarding the tender to make sure all the laws are complied with. That is the process we are interested in and how we do that, which is the issue raised by Deputy Catherine Murphy.