Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The same rules allowed multiple questions about the national development plan to be put to me in previous appearances in this House. To answer the questions Deputies Burton and Jonathan O'Brien have put to me, I am aware of concerns about PPPs that have developed in other jurisdictions. In Ireland, there is a track record of many PPPs delivering important projects and at good value. As I have reiterated on a number of occasions, the context has changed. We have to evaluate them on a project-by-project basis. If it is more affordable and effective for the State to borrow the money or to pay for it out of our tax revenues and deliver it through a traditional procurement process, that is what we will do. Having PPPs available introduces a constructive tension into how we price projects. In response to Deputy Jonathan O'Brien, it is my intention in the future to publish more information about PPPs than we have in the past.

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