Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his answer. I suppose he will agree with me that quality of data is critically important. When we are spending millions and billions of public money, whatever way we spend it, that will have an impact on this country for decades, if not centuries, to come. Acknowledging those impacts, and that we are shaping the nation when we make these decisions, it is imperative that the data we have is of high quality and reliable. Even small inconsistencies or inaccuracies can lead to us taking the wrong decision, and we will be left with those decisions for a long time. At the risk of upsetting the economists, it is not an exact science, and is less exact if it does not have quality data underpinning it. With respect to the economists, it is difficult for them to do their job and to help us do our jobs unless the quality of data is good. I am reminded of projects that were considered white elephants. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, will know about Ardnacrusha in our own neck of the woods. It was considered a white elephant 100 years ago, but it was not. The politicians back then were brave and took a risk with it in spite of the data.

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