Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will engage with the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, on the community and voluntary networks and their engagement in the national alcohol and drug strategy. I passionately believe in the community and voluntary pillar in terms of the implementation of national strategies and in working to formulate and implement those strategies.

Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue of tenders. The issue he raises is a feature of the current inflation hike and the increase in building costs, which is not profiteering. We all know the cost of raw materials for building has increased due to supply chain issues arising from Covid-19. The Deputy is correct that there are procurement issues around what happens if somebody pulls out of a project, particularly in public contracts. As I told Deputy Kelly earlier, I will ask the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, to engage on this issue and to see what can possibly be done to rescue the provision of that housing. It is a feature of the tendering process that costs have gone up across the board, which everybody acknowledges.

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