Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the news that we will get more full information. The point made about commercial sensitivity and so on reminds me of the spurious reasons that were given. We are spending the people's money and it is a mortgage for the people. I note some projects going to the 2060s.

There is the 10% figure in the investment policy framework and the rule relating to the capital budgets of each Department. It is important this is kept. We need to carry out major capital investment projects in water, housing, education and health across the country. In many Departments the Government is constrained because of an ever growing unitary payment bill relating to existing PPPs. There has been much criticism both here and in the UK, as the leader of the Opposition in the UK has said there will be no more public finance initiatives there because of the performance of Carillion and various others. Is it time, given that we can expect a reasonable surplus over this calendar year, to go back to funding the major kinds of works being carried out by the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, and other Ministers ourselves?

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