Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Does the Tánaiste accept that the Government and, indeed, the Government of which he was in charge during the previous term has a serious problem with the waste of public money? Those in government are serial wasters. That is what we are seeing over and over again. The Tánaiste talks about accountability. Name the person who was held accountable for the overspend on the national children's hospital. Name the person who was held accountable for the bike shed, the security hut or the wall that cost and arm and a leg. That is the reality. It just moves on. The question is how could this have happened? This project was initially approved by the Department of public expenditure. I do not know if it was Deputy Donohoe or Michael McGrath who was there at the time. In its annual statement, the Arts Council states:

In July 2021 the project moved to a standing item on the Council’s Plenary Agenda. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media have been updated and informed throughout the project.

Does the Tánaiste believe that is a false statement by the board in its annual statement? Does he believe that the Department was informed and that the Minister just did not inform him?

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