Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has outlined the role in terms of oversight but I want to ask about the Department's capacity to deliver real and meaningful oversight. We have the ongoing financial horror story of the national children's hospital and the underspending in housing during a housing crisis. The most recent figures show the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is 26% behind profile, with some €166 million unspent this year. I note spending should have been €637 million by the end of May but only €472 million was spent. Every Department with a capital budget except for one, namely, the Department of Education, has a capital underspend, including €19 million in health, €29 million in justice and €193 million in transport. The Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform is tasked with the oversight and delivery of capital projects on behalf of the State. Does the Department have engineers, surveyors or people with technical expertise to be able to oversee capital projects and seek real accountability in delivery?

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