Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Will the Minister of State say how many consultants will be employed and how money will be spent by the Department? I want to know how much the consultants will be paid. I was going to ask the Minister of State to come before our committee and listen to its recommendations as well. Whatever about the committee, it is very important that the Minister of State, his Department, the steering group and the consultants who are appointed, listen and learn from the last process. There are many people to be considered, some of whom are happy while others are very dissatisfied as regards the way the money was spent in the last round. I am hoping that people will be listened to, particularly those who know what is happening on the ground.

There is no point in listening to consultants because they are citing recommendations in reports. We do not need consultants because all they do is move recommendations between one report and another. We need to talk to people on the ground, the families who are affected and who know what is actually happening. I hope that much of this money will not be going to consultants but will be spent by people who know what is happening. How much money will be going to consultants? How many consultants are being employed? I am glad to hear the Minister of State is to meet the community groups on the ground because that is where we can learn.

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