Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

I have two papers here, one of which is the Minister's speech this morning that outlines the need for this token Supplementary Estimate and the other is a press release from 4 September. The two are either entirely contradictory or are about different things. In his press release the Minister states that he is ending phase one of the scheme because money for the greener homes scheme has run out. The phase described in the press release describes a slimmed down version of the greener homes scheme, phase two. The Minister said: "I will provide additional funding for this new phase via the Supplementary Estimates process when the Dáil resumes". However, the Minister's speech today suggests there is no money for phase two and, as far as I can see, the difference between these statements is bare-faced flim-flam.

I want to give the Minister a chance to reply on this, and I am delighted there will be questions at the end, because he is a new Minister. He is also a politician of considerable experience, however, and it seems that this represents money that has been brought together to pay for debts already accrued.

See this speech in context