Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Over recent months, since I became Minister of State I have done a lot of work with Clare County Council on developing the scheme the Deputy talked about. As I said at the outset, what happened was unforeseen. One could not have predicted it. This happens all the time with contracts. What I am saying to the Deputy today is that we have moved beyond him standing up asking for a definite timeline. We are now ready to advertise and re-tender in late July or early August. I do not know of any other scheme around the country on which I am working that has moved fast enough to do what I am doing in regard to the scheme in Ennis. I am very much committed. I have been in Clare. I met the chief executive officer of Clare County Council and everybody. The authorities in Clare are driving the scheme; I am funding it. I have committed the funding. If it needs more money, I will be committed in that regard also. I do not and will not accept that I am not doing my job. I am delivering exactly as I promised. When the circumstances arose, I dealt with them in the fast, appropriate manner that anyone else in my position would have to deal with them. Deputy Carey should trust me when I say to him that I have dealt with this speedily. I am very pleased to say the people are not waiting on something that will be going back to tender next year. I can informed the House of a re-tendering process today, and I am happy with that.

See this speech in context