Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

From the information I have to hand, it does not appear to me that there has been a drastic use, or increase in the number, of PPPs. In the case of, for example, the social housing PPPs, across two different bundles they relate to 1,000 homes nationwide, which is a relatively small share of the total level of social housing that is being delivered. The majority of it is being delivered either directly through local authorities or through approved housing bodies, AHBs. In various policy areas, it appears the use of PPPs, especially for housing, forms a relatively small share of the overall level of housing the State is involved in delivering.

As I said, the reason PPPs are used is that they allow the State, by spreading its payment over a longer period for building, for example, a group of houses, to build more and to achieve more in any given year. That is the only reason it is done.

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