David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, to delete lines 22 to 32 and in page 4, to delete lines 1 and 2 and substitute the following:

"3.—Section 3 of the Principal Act is amended in subsection (1)—

(a) by deleting "and" where it last occurs in paragraph (c) and by substituting "public investment projects," for "public investment projects." in paragraph (d), and

(b) by inserting the following after paragraph (d):

"(e) to enter into a public private partnership arrangement with a view to transferring the rights and obligations under such an arrangement to any State authority,

(f) to act as agent for any State authority in connection with the entry or proposed entry by that State authority into a public private partnership arrangement, and

(g) to publish, or cause to be published, the assumptions underpinning the cost-benefit analysis conducted on any public investment project before any agreement in respect of that project is finalised.".".

I am taking this amendment for Deputy Bruton who is otherwise engaged. What he wants is to publish or cause to be published the assumptions underpinning the cost benefit analysis conducted into any public investment project before any agreement in respect of that project is finalised. He maintains it would be an excellent discipline on projects to have to justify the underlying assumptions. It would not cause any damage or give away any commercial secrets. We maintain there is a need for greater transparency in the selection of projects which are to be given the go-ahead. This would be a useful and important way of giving greater transparency in the selection of projects as well as providing strong discipline if the underlying assumptions had to be justified. As this would lead to more transparency and openness perhaps the Minister would accept the amendment.

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