Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This will probably be my last Topical Issue matter so I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing it and the Minister of State for taking it. I have said many times that I find it a bit unfair on the Minister of State that she is wheeled out on a Thursday evening to listen to all and sundry on different matters.

I have covered this topic so many times in recent months and struggled to get answers. The Minister of State has probably not brought them with her either. On the previous day with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, I asked 25 questions and he answered two of them poorly, leaving 23 unanswered. I did not get any answers to them since. The Government's handling of the children's hospital issue is one of the most disappointing things I have seen in my eight years in here, and it would probably only be beaten by the tolerance of what went on in the National Asset Management Agency in that time.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers report indicated it was not a good idea to retender but provided no evidence as to why that was the case. It was incredibly disappointing. The Tánaiste told me when I asked him about this that a gross underestimate that should have been flagged earlier was evident. Public benchmarking gives advance estimation of what the works would cost, but when I inquired about who decided not to do this public benchmarking, I was not told. I do not understand why people cannot answer questions. I have asked so many questions about the nature of the contract, and although I have received some written answers, there is still confusion about it. I realise at this stage that a bespoke contract was used rather than the black and white construction works management framework, which is a disaster. For the life of me I still do not understand why the Government has not abandoned it.

I have heard politicians and the media discussing what we heard at yesterday's committee meeting and it is making me pull out my hair.

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