Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)

The Minister has failed to answer my question about the various Departments and he questions some of the figures I cited. I refer him to a question answered yesterday by the Minister of State, who is seated beside him, in which he said: "The cost of acquiring sites-properties for the early moving Departments is estimated to be in the region of €47 million, excluding VAT". I did not pluck the figure out of the air. It was given to my colleague yesterday and is either right or wrong. If it is right, what the Minister has said today is not correct. He cannot have it both ways. He either knows the figure or not.

The total number of early movers is estimated at 4,000. If the Minister does a quick sum, he will find that I am very accurate. If he takes the figure the Minister of State gave to the Committee on Finance and the Public Service, that the overall costs run up to approximately €900 million, he will see that I am not far wrong on that extrapolation.

The Minister mentioned some areas where there are people who want to move. There are 21 early movers, 12 of which have on average fewer than 15% of people who want to move. That is where I get my one in six figure, which is a reasonable assumption.

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