Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It is well known the Taoiseach has a history of signing blank cheques. The latest episode of the blank cheque written for the PPARS system is his most spectacular to date, at least of those we know about. I expect many Government members will say they know little about the PPARS system. The personnel, payroll, and related systems software project was set up in 1998 with a budget of €9 million, to be completed in three years. Seven years later the project has already cost €150 million. Some €70 million of that was paid to consultants and I understand that €50 million of that €70 million was paid to one consultancy firm.

What has the public got for its €150 million? We have a system that applies only to 37,000 staff members out of 130,000. It has not been rolled out nationally among the staff to whom the PPARS system applies. There has been widespread dissatisfaction with the system, as announced today by the Irish Nurses Organisation. This system paid one member €1 million in error, and consistently made overpayments to other members for several weeks. In the flagship hospital, St. James's, which has been involved in PPARS from the outset, the chief executive has indicated that his hospital does not want to continue with the project as it threatens the hospital's basic functioning, its credibility and its relationships with its workforce.

I have two questions for the Taoiseach and his Government. First, how the hell did the Government spend €150 million on this botched project and how did he as Taoiseach, with three Ministers for Health and Children over the past seven years, preside over this scandalous episode of Government incompetence? Second, who does he hold responsible for this debacle and what action does he propose to take on it?

See this speech in context