Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

We still do not have an adequate explanation. Again, this is not a surprise. The period of funding was going to run out and there was going to be a new tender process and yet there is still a gap. There are two possible explanations. One is the political motivation of leaning on the project. The Minister says that is not the case. The other explanation is no more satisfactory. It is about the underfunding and understaffing of the Department of children and low priority being given to child protection. They are the two possible explanations and neither look good as regards the priorities of this Government. The Minister said that the funding will be in place by January of next year. I presume that means the tendering process is going to start very shortly. Will he tell us when that process will open?

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