Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

There has been much discussion in this House, at the Committee of Public Accounts and elsewhere on the purchase of the site. The Irish Prison Service could have gone under the counter and not admitted the purchase price of this site. The prison service could have engaged an auctioneer to work on its behalf and buy the land, without being open and transparent. However, it genuinely felt that being a State agency, it was correct to indicate to those from whom it was being purchased and those in the locality exactly what was intended for the site and not buy it surreptitiously. It deserves credit for that.

On the additional costs, there were professional fees related to archaeological issues and all the necessary surveys. There was an environmental impact assessment, EIA, of the site. As the Taoiseach stated this morning, there were High Court actions. There were two High Court actions from people who objected to the proposal for the site.

The site and preparations surveys cost €2.7 million. Landscaping costs, of which many are making a big issue, came to €0.4 million. Security costs come to €0.5 million. The total spent up to May 2009 is €41.6 million.

It is nonsensical to state that we got nothing for our money. We got 150 acres out in Thornton Hall-----

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