Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Will the latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General be referred to the attention of the cross-departmental team? Does the Taoiseach agree that the Comptroller and Auditor General's update of the five schools project provided for by a PPP is directly relevant to the role of the cross-departmental team on housing infrastructure and PPPs? Does the Taoiseach recall that in his 2004 report the Comptroller and Auditor General flagged the possibility that the schools could have been more economically provided through direct State funding?

Has the Taoiseach noted the Comptroller and Auditor General's latest report's clear indication of significant disquiet on the part of the respective school managements in all such cases regarding the provision by the private contractors of the necessary maintenance and management services that formed part of the overall arrangement? Has he noted the Comptroller and Auditor General's statement that this raises questions as to the departmental verification of payments issued? I understand this amounts to €1.4 million in respect of maintenance and management services. Does the Taoiseach agree this is not a small sum of money? As for the five schools in question, there is serious disputation with the public private partnership, PPP, approach in the ongoing servicing of the school properties' needs. What does the Taoiseach propose to do in this regard? As a first step, does he believe the cross-departmental team has a role in addressing this highly important element of the latest report from the Comptroller and Auditor General?

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