Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I reiterate that the Comptroller and Auditor General's report concluded that real project cost overruns due to underestimation was less than 20%, in line with quoted international trends. We will point out in the debate which will begin later today the steps the Government is taking to deal with those issues as a policy matter. I make the point to Deputy Kenny that we have been engaged in a modernisation programme in a whole range of areas, including education, health and otherwise, which will be outlined in the debate today and tomorrow. That debate will provide an opportunity for Members to put their case on the public record, hopefully without being subject to the name-calling that has already started.

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