Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The real issue at the heart of this matter has not been referred to. I refer to the requirement for a public private partnership contract. The HSE in Carlow has adequate accommodation for its needs. As the Deputy said, €1,000 per day is being flushed away through the arrangement in question. I have raised this directly in the House and was the first to do so through a parliamentary question last December. The response received from the then Minister made it very clear she was not in a position to roll away from the public private partnership requirement. I welcome the fact that the current Minister is willing to recognise the madness of the circumstances that obtain and to consider reconfiguring the use of existing HSE accommodation. He should take the required steps to address the real problem at the kernel of this issue.

Carlow Town Council has asked that the Comptroller and Auditor General take a direct interest in this matter. Could the Minister check whether the Comptroller and Auditor General is carrying out an investigation into this matter both in Carlow and elsewhere around the country?

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