Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Let us be honest. The national development plan was published in 2000. It was to cost €8 billion. Twelve months before the end of that plan, we see that half of the projects will not be completed on time and the cost will be three times what was originally stated. The public is asking how can it have more confidence in this plan than in the previous one, when the Government and the Taoiseach are not willing to give any open evaluation or costing to justify the cost of €25,000 per household and show it will yield value for money.

The truth is that every time a difficult issue arises, the Taoiseach and his Government produces another plan. Deputy Martin produced a health plan to end waiting lists. Where did it get us? Deputy Cullen's electoral voting plan is rusting in warehouses. A computing plan for the health service is lying abandoned because it cannot compute.

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