James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not interrupt Deputy Ó Caoláin and would like him to show me the same courtesy. Many people say to me that, because they do not see that much of me in my constituency since my job is of such considerable importance to the future well-being of the people, the only time they see me is on television. I am sure this is what Mr. Murphy was alluding to. However, I do not know how Mr. Murphy's mind works and will leave him to explain the matter himself if he chooses to do so. If Deputy Ó Caoláin had listened to the radio programme this morning, as he says he did, he will know I was in contact with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform because the stimulus package had to go to him for final sign-off and Government approval.

There are three separate methods: public private partnership, direct Exchequer funding and leasing. This is where it gets considerably arbitrary because while one can define when a lease is signed, which is straightforward, one must determine the point at which one decides on the term "might be done by lease". When does "might be done by lease" become "might not be done by lease"? Therefore, one can see that, no matter how much of a desktop exercise one does on the selection process, there are always practical or pragmatic considerations on the ground that preclude things being done in the way that might look sensible in an office setting. I mentioned this morning on the radio that if one accounted for all the parameters I put in place, etc. but left out the other facilities in the area, one would end up building a primary care centre in the shadow of a large hospital and yet have nothing in an area of considerable population density ten or 15 miles away.

I would like to cover one last issue raised by the Deputy, namely, the inference in The Irish Times that somehow things had been moved around by me at an earlier date. I have confirmed with HSE that it was it that moved those things around the list, not I. If Deputy Ó Caoláin wishes to ask the HSE directly, it will confirm that.

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