Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Minister to clarify the comments he made previously, especially those he made on "Six-One" and subsequently. He said categorically that no project within the national development plan would be cancelled, delayed or impacted by the decision to proceed with the national broadband plan, even though it is to cost an extra €1.5 billion. The Minister says the project will require an additional €500 million between now and 2023 but we are also awaiting details of the outstanding €400 million overspend on the children's hospital. In the short term, that amounts to almost €1 billion. Will he indicate where that amount will come from during the budget process? IFAC states it is not credible that it will come from future revenue. The ESRI states it will possibly come from taxation. The Secretary General of the Minister's Department says that projects will be forgone, although the Minister disagreed with that statement and said it was not credible. These organisations and individuals have laid their cards on the table quite categorically and it is incumbent on the Minister to do likewise on behalf of those we all represent.

See this speech in context