Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What I respectfully suggest is that we, as politicians, have limited expertise in this House to make the right judgment calls in relation to this project. Our job as legislators and policymakers is to put structures and systems in place that ensure underestimates such as this do not happen in the future. By and large, when one looks at many of the other big projects that have been delivered, our systems have worked. I refer to the N17, the N18 from Gort to Tuam, the N11, the N7, the north docklands sewerage system and the Phoenix Park Tunnel. I could go on. There are lots of projects on time and within budget because the systems have improved significantly from seven to ten years ago when many projects went over budget. Something has gone wrong in relation to the estimation of cost of the children's hospital. We intend on getting to the bottom of that and learning lessons from it, and we will change systems where necessary in response to that to make sure it does not happen in the future. Of course we will take on board the constructive criticism, concern and suggestions that are made in this House. I do not think it is helpful to start naming individual firms in this House and to start apportioning blame before we have the full, clear picture of what happened. I will certainly not get into that space.

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