Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Tá leithscéalta faighte againn on Teachta Ged Nash. Apologies have been received from Deputy Ged Nash.

Is mian liom na riachtanais bhunreachtúla seo a leanas a mheabhrú do chomhaltaí agus páirt á ghlacadh acu i gcruinnithe poiblí. Caithfidh comhaltaí a bheith i láthair go fisiciúil laistigh de theorainn Theach Laighean. Ní cheadóidh mé do chomhaltaí labhairt ag cruinnithe poiblí nuair nach bhfuil siad ag cloí leis an riachtanas bunreachtúil seo. Mar sin, má dhéanann aon chomhalta iarracht páirt a ghlacadh ó lasmuigh den suíomh, iarrfaidh mé orthu an cruinniú a fhágáil. Maidir leis seo, iarraim ar chomhaltaí a dheimhniú go bhfuil siad i láthair laistigh de phurláin Theach Laighean sula ndéanann siad aon ionchur ar an gcruinniú ar MS Teams. Fíoraítear do chomhaltaí cleachtadh Parlaiminte a urramú nár chóir más féidir daoine ná eintiteas a cháineadh ná líomhaintí a dhéanamh ina n-aghaidh ná tuairimí a thabhairt maidir leo ina ainm, ina hainm nó ina n-ainm ar shlí go bhféadfaí iad a aithint. Chomh maith leis sin, fiafraítear dóibh gan aon rud a rá a d'fhéadfaí breathnú air mar ábhar díobhálach do dhea-chlú aon duine nó eintiteas. Mar sin, dá bhféadfaí ráiteas a bheith clúmhillteach do dhuine nó eintiteas aitheanta, ordóidh mé don duine éirí as an ráiteas láithreach. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go ngéillfidh comhaltaí don ordú sin láithreach.

I advise members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, a member who attempts to participate from outside the precinct will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask any members partaking via Microsoft Teams that, prior to making their contribution to the meeting, they confirm they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative they comply with any such direction.

The select committee is meeting to consider Supplementary Estimates for Votes 7 and 9 with the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Robert Troy. The Estimates process is Dáil Éireann's method to allow the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to seek to withdraw funds from the Exchequer to meet most Government spending obligations. Articles 17.1.1° and 28.4.4° of the Constitution provides for the presentation to and consideration of Estimates by Dáil Éireann, respectively. Standing Order 217 requires Estimates to be considered in committee. It is well-established practice that they are referred to the relevant sectoral select committee. Once hearings conclude, committees send a message to Dáil Éireann, which generally approves Estimates without debate. Committees cannot amend Estimates and have no formal role in approving them. However, Standing Order 223 provides that the committee may make a report to the Dáil in respect of the consideration of Estimates.

I invite the Minister of State to make his opening statement.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to have the opportunity to appear before the committee to discuss the 2025 Supplementary Estimates. I will discuss two of the four Votes within the finance group of Votes: Vote 7 - the Department of Finance and Vote 9 - the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. With regard to Vote 7, the Department requires a technical Supplementary Estimate to increase the 2025 allocation towards the fuel grant, the funding provided towards the operational cost and pension liabilities of the Office of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, FSPO, and to cover the cost of software licences and IT peripherals for my Department. The total increase required is €1.4 million.

This excess will be substantially funded through savings on the administration non-pay subhead, while some moderate savings are also available from pay, as well as the committees and commissions subhead. The fuel grant provided under the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme is demand-led and as such, amounts claimed vary year on year. The 2025 Estimate allocation for the fuel grant is €11 million. Costs incurred in the year to date indicate that the fuel grant budget will be breached. My Department estimates that a further €919,000 is required to meet the demand for the fuel grant in 2025.

The operation of the FSPO is funded by an industry levy for financial services-related complaints and the Exchequer for pensions-related complaints. The amount to be paid by my Department to the FSPO for 2025 was initially estimated at €525,000. A further €303,000 is necessary due to the increased volume of complaints attributable to pensions. My Department is responsible for the FSPO pension liabilities in respect of benefits payable to members of the relevant pension schemes on a pay-as-you-go basis. In 2025, there were a number of large retirement payments that could not have been foreseen at the time of the budget. The additional pension cost for 2025 is €100,000, increasing the amount paid in 2025 towards the FSPO pensions to €350,000. My Department has already provided the additional funding required by the FSPO based on the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation’s approval in principle of a virement transfer from the administration non-pay subhead.

In addition, an increase of €82,000 is also required to facilitate the increased costs of software licences and IT for my Department.

Turning to the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, Vote 9, the technical Supplementary Estimate is for a net amount of €1,000 and will allow the Vote to utilise appropriations-in-aid in addition to savings and salaries, non-pay and capital, to fund projected expenditure. Additional funding is required for vehicles and frontier management expenses that relate to the continued detainment of the MV Matthewand the disposal of large quantities of nitrous oxide gas canisters. Funding is also required for infrastructure costs at Rosslare Europort and increased operational costs, including postage, external service provision, IT expenses and travel and subsistence. This will result in an increase in the gross ceiling of Vote 9 by approximately €3.92 million.

I thank members for their time here today and commend the 2025 Supplementary Estimates and technical Supplementary Estimates for the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners to the committee. I am happy to address any questions that members may have.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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On the Office of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, we have a 58% increase in the allocation from the Department. Is that a result of an increased number of complaints since the Estimates were presented to the committee at the end of last year? How come we are seeing such a big increase?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Department only pays for the proportion of the complaints relating to pensions. It is a levy on the financial companies and others. There has been an increase in the number of complaints about pensions.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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On the Estimates for Revenue, there is a €7.9 million reduction in the pay bill. Why has that materialised? Is this an issue of not being able to recruit into Revenue? This would be well over 100 staff and we know that Revenue is stretched in different areas, with it taking up to 20 days for an issue to be responded to by Revenue. What is going on there?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Ongoing competition in the external labour market has led to slower than expected staff assignments. However, recruitment activity is now trending positively. There has been a 4% increase in staff numbers since the start of the year, with 282.8 whole-time equivalents. At the start of the year, there were 6,625. At the end of October, there were 6,908. An additional 311 full-time equivalents are expected between November and March 2026. As a consequence of full employment, it is harder to get staff in certain roles. Sometimes in full employment, it is harder to get people in the public sector because there are more lucrative opportunities in the private sector. That is the reason for that.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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We will continue to monitor that. On capital expenditure, Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners talks about the Rosslare infrastructure project. There is a requirement for an additional €2.2 million. This was a project that was opened by the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, and the Minister, Deputy Chambers, just last week. Is that the cost of the project or is it an additional cost to the project? If so, why was this not involved in the original Estimates last year? Has this project overrun? It is additional capital investment and it clearly was not budgeted for if it was not in the Estimates last year. Why has this transpired?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am told that the OPW gave us an estimate at the end of last year and, this year, the actual outturn has been higher.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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What was the estimate that the OPW gave us for this work last year?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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A total of €11.706 million.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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How much did it cost?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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A total of €14.533 million.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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So we are talking about a 30% overrun in the OPW, again, from its estimate to outturn?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am finding it hard to get my head around it myself, to be honest, Deputy Doherty. If it is okay with the Deputy, we might just provide a note to him after the meeting.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I appreciate that, but these are the Estimates. This is a request for this committee to approve additional money. I have put on the record that the OPW is a basket case this year. We have had the bike shed, security gates and so many examples. It is being presented to this committee for a decision right here, right now, or to prove it.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To be helpful, I suggest that we go into private session for a moment and my official can explain it to the Deputy right here, right now.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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Can I come back in on the other issue raised in private session?

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Do you want to go back into private session?

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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No, I-----

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Go ahead. You can talk about whatever you wish.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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On this project, what was the initial estimated cost when it started back in 2023 and what is the estimated final cost? We are spreading costs over a number of years but no one is giving us the figure for what it was estimated to be on day one and what it is now going to cost when it is all finished?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The total cost for the Rosslare project, and this may be helpful to Deputy Doherty, was €236 million, but that is not all the responsibility of Revenue. The apportionment ratio in respect of the Revenue Commissioners is 34.43%. Revenue's portion of the cost is estimated to be €81.25 million, as projected at the start of the project. To date, Revenue has made a payment of €68.516 million to the OPW in respect of the Rosslare infrastructure.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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The initial cost estimated was €81.25 million, from the point of view of the OPW. Is that correct?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Revenue's cost was-----

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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That was the cost when this started in 2023. What will now be the final cost to Revenue when it is all done?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The projected cost to Revenue was €81.255 million, or 34.43%, but what we have paid to date is €68.51 million. The OPW has requested a further €5.88 million, with approximately €1.578 million for 2026. If we add €68.1 million to €5.8 million, plus €1.6 million due next year, the project is actually coming in below what it was projected to cost Revenue at the initial stage, which was €81.255 million.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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It is actually coming in below the estimated cost-----

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, that is what I am working out here. The final cost may come in marginally higher than what is projected for next year.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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I ask about the MV Matthew, which is in the Port of Cork. The cost to date is €6.4 million in relation to a seized vessel which has been detained for over two years. Why is it costing that kind of money and why do we need to detain it for such a period? It sounds like a huge cost to detain a vessel. For much longer will we be detaining it? Is there an estimate for next year as to what it will cost?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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On 26 September 2023, the Revenue Commissioners searched the vessel and 2,253 kg of cocaine was found concealed on board. The vessel was seized by the Revenue Commissioners on 19 October 2023 and a notice of seizure was published in Iris Oifigiúil on 20 October 2023. Since its detention, the MV Matthew has been held in the custody of Revenue Commissioners and remains berthed in the Port of Cork. Revenue has incurred necessary and significant costs relating to insuring and crewing the vessel, namely, provisioning, bunkering, fuel supplies, berthage and other port-related costs, essential repairs and maintenance. Given the nature and the size of the vessel, it is necessary to have a 24-7 crew presence on board, even while it is berthed in the port.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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Why can the vessel not be disposed of at this stage? It is a net cost to taxpayers. Why can we not dispose of it? Why do we have to continue to detain it?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Revenue Commissioner has engaged robustly with the market through an international shipping broker and is actively engaged with parties interested in acquiring the vessel. As of November 2025, there were two parties interested and inquiring about the MV Matthew and engaged in contractual discussions with the Revenue Commissioners. However, as it has not been possible to agree contract terms with these parties, the Revenue Commissioners will be proceeding to arrange a class survey to advance the certification and clearance process necessary to facilitate the departure of the vessel. I am open to correction but my understanding is that Revenue only got permission to dispose of the vessel from the Criminal Assets Bureau in December 2024. Prior to that, it did not have permission to dispose of it. It has that permission this year.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State will accept that here is a cost to the taxpayer. Surely we must be able to put in place a far more expeditious process for dealing with something like this. This is not going to be the only vessel detained. This will occur again.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I agree wholeheartedly with Deputy Burke. A year has elapsed since the criminal courts authorised the release of the MV Matthew. That was done on 2 December 2024, so we are almost at the first anniversary. However, the Revenue Commissioners have informed me that they have been engaged robustly with the market through an international shipping broker and are actively looking to dispose of the vessel. I imagine, given the size of the vessel, that there will not be a huge market for it. It is proving problematic to dispose of it. However, Revenue did not have the authority to engage in this process before 2 December last year. It is engaged in it now.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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The other question that arises then is that if it is difficult to dispose of the vessel, whether it should now be sold for scrappage rather than incurring the costs that are being incurred.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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That is a very valid point and something we will have to ask Revenue to address.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Go raibh maith agat. We will have to move on due to time issues.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Vote 7 and Vote 9 are part of the €2 billion Supplementary Estimate, which is quite a significant budgetary overrun. Regarding these Votes and the wider picture, what budgetary controls are in place to stop these kinds of cost overruns?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The net cost of the Votes we are discussing is €2,000. Deputy O'Callaghan is bringing into the discussion the overall overruns. Arising from my Department's responsibility regarding these Estimates, we are reapportioning funding that is under one head to another one. There have been savings achieved under certain headings and overruns recorded in others, and we have outlined where those have occurred. The Deputy's question would be better addressed to the Department of Health and some of the other Departments that had the overruns.

In this instance, these proposals and Supplementary Estimates are technical in nature, essentially.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Is the Minister of State saying that the Department of Finance has no role in budgetary overruns or Supplementary Estimates?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Finance sets the expenditure ceiling, and it is a matter for the Department of Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to implement the budgets. Each line Minister, with their Department, looks after their own budget thereafter.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Is it the case that the Department takes no responsibility for the overall picture and will not give a view on what needs to be done in terms of budgetary controls?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Of course the Department takes responsibility but, as I said, the Department of Finance sets the budget. The Department of public expenditure monitors it in conjunction with the line Department and the line Minister.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Does the Minister of State have a view on any measures that need to be taken to stop these kinds of budgetary overruns? That is my final question.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Obviously there needs to be greater accountability in relation to budgetary overruns. In certain instances, budgetary overruns can be accounted for through inflation, unplanned expenditure or events that evolve. I mention as an example what we are doing here today in relation to the Vote for the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme, which is a demand-led scheme. When a Department starts out at the beginning of the year, sometimes its projected costs are based on the outturn from previous years. When the demand for a demand-led scheme increases, it results in what is perceived to be a budget overrun. In this instance, there is a budget overrun of €919,000. Would anyone say that we should not actually meet increased demand for demand-led schemes? Should we apologise to those who are eligible to apply for the fuel grant under the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme and say to them that we have set a ceiling, that there is no way we can pay out any more, and that they can wait until the new year? Sometimes there is a real reason for a budget overrun. Everybody starts out with the best will in the world to try to contain any budget overruns. Some of them are inexcusable. Deputy Doherty made a point about the OPW’s expenditure in certain instances. I do not think anyone could say that was value for money. In other instances, such as what we are here to discuss today - a technical Supplementary Estimate under Vote 7, disabled drivers - I do not think the Deputy is advocating that we turn around and say that we have set a budget for 2025 - €11 million, in this case - and we are not going to be able to pay out these legitimate claims until next year. That is the reason for the budget overrun here. Sometimes budget overruns can be justified, and sometimes they are not justified.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Every year, across a number of headings we can see an increase in expenditure. Often, as the Minister of State has said, this can be demand-led. However, it is not factored in the budget for the following year, when we again see a demand-led overspend. I suggest that this is a baked-in flaw in the budgeting process. When one asks about it, the implication is sometimes that an overrun will be okay because we can expect to get a Supplementary Estimate to cater for it. It is a problem in the budgeting process that some of the overruns are baked in. As some of them are baked in and expected, it makes it harder to home in and focus on unanticipated budgetary overruns that need to be controlled. I accept that when something is demand-led and the demand is there, it needs to be met. I am just making that observation.

Shay Brennan (Dublin Rathdown, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. I have three very quick questions. Regarding the nitrous oxide seizures, it is quite concerning that large quantities need to be disposed of. It is a good thing that they are being detected and discovered. Does the Minister of State have any information on whether that relates to one or two large seizures, or multiple individual smaller seizures?

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Deputy ask his second question and we will come back to the first?

Shay Brennan (Dublin Rathdown, Fianna Fail)
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I have a technical question about the MV Matthew. Obviously, costs are arising with regard to keeping the vessel. It will be sold or scrapped in the near future. If it is sold and an income is realised, will that income come into next year's budget as a positive or will it go to a different Department?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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If we sell the MV Matthew, that will come in under appropriations next year. It will be a net gain. I agree with Deputies Shay Brennan and Colm Burke that given the significant cost of maintaining and berthing it, it would be value for money to sell it for scrap at this stage and thereby avoid the ongoing annual costs.

The gas canisters referred to by Deputy Brennan have built up on foot of multiple seizures over a number of years. Some 140,483 canisters and 130,670 ampoules, which are small, silver, single-use containers, have been seized by Revenue since 2021. In 2024, following a public tender process, Revenue engaged a licensed chemical waste agent, Veolia, to collect, transport and dispose of large quantities of nitrous gas. Veolia commenced the disposal of nitrous gas in 2025, working through the large volumes of canisters and ampoules that had built up since 2021. It is anticipated that there will not be the same cost next year because this issue has been dealt with now.

Shay Brennan (Dublin Rathdown, Fianna Fail)
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It was essentially clearing a backlog.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Yes. A backlog and multiple seizures.

Shay Brennan (Dublin Rathdown, Fianna Fail)
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I will forgo my third question and replace it with one that has just occurred to me. Is the plan to proceed with building another backlog and address it in a few years' time, or is there now a system in place that ensures these materials are disposed of once they have been seized?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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A system is now in place to dispose of them on an annual basis.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I will go through my own questions as quickly as possible, and then allow others in if they have very brief questions. On Vote 9, something that stuck out to me was increased postage charges. From my reading, €2.1 million has been allocated towards paying for increased postage expenditure. This is identified as being driven in bulk by the issuing of local property tax revaluation letters. The area with the highest percentage of people affected by changes in local property tax bands is Galway city, where I live. The average percentage of people affected across the State it is 4%, but in Galway city 15% of people will be going up a local property tax band. That is a huge difference in terms of the State-wide question. Many of my constituents are on to me about this, especially older people and pensioners who come into my clinic. They are very worried about this because of the impact it is going to have. They will be outraged to know that hundreds of thousands and potentially millions of euros have been spent on postage to let them know about their tax hike. Exactly how much of this €2.1 million is being spent on the issuing of LPT revaluation letters?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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We cannot break down the additional €2.1 million in postage costs.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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How does the Minister of State know the bulk of it is being driven by the local property tax letters?

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The 32% increase in An Post rates in March 2025 contributed to it as well. Given that the revaluation was an event this year that did not happen last year, it is clear that many letters have gone out. Every household has received at least one letter. That is something that is over and above previous years. That has been a contributing factor. We will endeavour to come back to the Cathaoirleach to see-----

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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To be honest, it is not even about knowing the exact amount. We are talking about €2.1 million, which is significant amount of money for most people.

Pensioners, in particular, have been coming to my clinics extremely worried about what impact this price change will have. In Galway city, where I live, 15% of people are being impacted by it. This all represents a huge waste of taxpayers' money.

I am conscious of time. It was indicated that the Department has made savings of €120,000 from the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal being out of operation for a year. I take the opportunity to highlight two issues that have been raised with me. The Minister of State might make sure the Government is aware of them. In September, I raised with the then Minister the case of a young man whose arm was amputated as a result of cancer treatment. He has had to give up a significant degree of independence as he cannot qualify for the disabled drivers scheme because he still has use of the other arm. That seems bonkers. The other issue raised with me is how the scheme is failing Irish speakers. An older woman came to me who was trying to do the assessment through English even though Irish is her main language. She was forced to travel to Dún Laoghaire from a location in the middle of nowhere in Connemara, very far from Galway city. I ask the Minister of State to take those two issues back to the Tánaiste.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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May I come in very briefly?

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Yes.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I accept, as a public representative practising in my constituency, that there is an inconsistency in the scheme that needs to be addressed. I will take that point back to the Tánaiste.

On another matter, as a postmaster, I am aware that postal staff benefit from money being spent to use An Post to deliver letters. If we do not use and support An Post's network, that crucial service for the country will be unable to continue operating.

Regarding the pensioners who have seen an increase in their LPT, in light of the significant increases in the cost of living since November 2021, the income thresholds for full and partial deferral of LPT payments have increased by between 30% and 40% for the upcoming valuation period. There is a mechanism, as I am sure the Cathaoirleach is aware, to advise pensioners who do not have the money that they can defer payment and put it under asset until a later date.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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A lot of pensioners are getting letters asking about qualified adult payments. They think they have somehow wronged the system and do not realise everyone is getting those letters. The reality is that this is causing people sleepless nights.

Two members, na Teachtaí Doherty and Burke, have indicated they want to come back in. I ask that they be very brief.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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An additional almost €1.5 million is being requested in 2025 for disposal of nitrous oxide gas canisters. This is a blight on our communities. My colleague Deputy Mark Ward has produced legislation on the control and supply of this type of gas. The Minister of State said he does not envisage the same costs arising for disposal next year. My understanding is that, as of last week, there has been disposal of less than half of all the nitrous oxide gas Revenue has in its possession. Will the €1.475 million be put towards disposing of the rest of that in the next six weeks or will we see the disposal of the other half of the nitrous oxide gas that is controlled by Revenue next year, which means we will see the figures being repeated?

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Does Deputy Burke want to come in with a quick follow-up question?

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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I just want to thank Revenue for the expeditious way in which its staff respond to queries from Oireachtas Members. It is important to acknowledge that.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I absolutely agree. I invite the Minister of State to make a quick response before we conclude the meeting.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To clarify for Deputy Doherty, the cost will be lower next year because what happened, unfortunately, was that we had a build-up of multiple seizures since 2021. It was only this year that Revenue was able, through public tender, to secure the services of a company able to dispose of that. The disposal has commenced and there is now a process in place whereby the material can be disposed of on an ongoing basis to ensure we are not dealing with a big build-up as we go forward.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The amount Revenue has under its control is 213,000 kg. As of last week, it had disposed of 106,000 kg, which is less than half. Will the money provided allow for a significant disposal between now and the end of the year or will we be seeing approximately half of all the gas still under Revenue's control and still requiring disposal?

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister of State may give a final answer on that.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To the end of October, approximately 51,200 canisters and 48,600 ampoules had been disposed of at a cost of €1.595 million. An additional disposal will arise before the end of the year, bringing the total projected cost for the year to €1.9 million. There is an additional disposal planned before the end of this year. I cannot say exactly how much more will be done by year end, but I will come back to the Deputy with that figure.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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That concludes our business. I thank members, the Minister of State and his officials for their participation.