Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am answering the question. The project is projected to overrun by €450 million, of which €320 million is funding that will come from the Exchequer. The Deputy asked why I did not tell the Minister for Finance, which ignores the fact there was contact at official level, as is appropriate, between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, making people aware that was a GMP process ongoing. The Deputy said I had full facts but obviously I did not. I had the full facts on 9 November - the documents I published show that - and I immediately was in contact with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Taoiseach. They both stated that was the appropriate action to take. Capital budgets were set on a multi-annual basis, the Deputy knows. We even had a very large launch about it earlier in 2018, so it was not a secret. We were constructively negotiating on the issue of current expenditure for health with the main Opposition party as to how to deal with what was going to be a supplementary overrun. I have said consistently why I took the actions I took and I stand by them.

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