Mr. John Conlon:

The Cathaoirleach will be aware, from his extensive experience with the Committee of Public Accounts, that the Department has public financial procedures in place. We have Accounting Officers who are in charge of their own budgets. They are the people responsible for the delivery of the projects and their agencies. I cannot see how the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform can step in as a kind of sanctioning agent other than through the review of budgets on an ongoing basis.