Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The motion condemns the fact that a Minister can intervene to fast-track projects. Where is this heading? The problem with every major capital project is that it takes so long to complete, yet here we have Fine Gael and the Labour Party criticising the concept of a Minister intervening to fast-track a project. In an underhand way they say the process should be more open, but they are opposed in principle to Ministers fast-tracking projects. Some officials unhappy with the fast-tracking of projects would be happy with the Fine Gael-Labour Party approach because it means they would never be disturbed by a Minister. However, I am happy to say that on this side of the House we have Ministers who will, when necessary, get the finger out and help to fast-track projects. This, however, has been portrayed as something negative by Fine Gael and the Labour Party.

We need to concentrate on better management of the public finances. The new National Development Finance Agency, NDFA, specifically deals with the financing and contractual arrangements for public private partnerships. This day last week four schools in my constituency, two in Portlaoise and two in Offaly, went to an EU tendering process through the NDFA which has the skills to deal with this process. We need to centralise business skills in the public service as we are doing with the NDFA and its influence should be extended beyond PPP projects into other major construction projects.

The Opposition spoke about reforming the Estimates process. The Minister announced this in his speech last year and progress is being made. It is a two-way street and the Opposition must also participate in the process. The Committee of Public Accounts produced a report last year by the leader of the Labour Party, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, which showed a paltry amount of time was given to the Estimates by each of the Oireachtas committees. It is clear that despite the Minister making himself available for hours on end and the Opposition getting the opportunity to tease out the Estimates on a departmental basis, it failed to bother with it or even to turn up in most cases.

We need more detailed assessment of the Estimates process in the House, but pointing the finger at the Government in this regard ——

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