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

I appreciate the Deputy recognising the scale of information that might come into my Department. I expect that any red flags regarding a project will be flagged to my Department. Many different difficulties develop with many projects along the way, however, though none on the scale of what we are now dealing with in respect of the national children's hospital project. It is first and foremost the responsibility of Ministers who receive budget allocations from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to make sure they live within those allocations and deal with issues regarding projects for which they are responsible. As I will state in a later response to a parliamentary question from Deputy Cowen, my Department plays a major role at the start of the project, particularly in the cost benefit analysis aspect. Once that is approved by Government, it is then up to individual Departments to deliver on their commitments.

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