Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I agree. Much work has been done in recent years to embed international best practice into contract management. The wider point has to be acknowledged that if things become too risk averse and no decision is made, then we do not have any delivery and have a long list of hypothetical projects that are not delivered over time. We need a balanced discussion on delivery, in addition to that on risk and cost which is sometimes the broader discussion in this House, the media and elsewhere. The metric has to be delivery and ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place in respect of guidelines and frameworks. Some of the feedback received as part of the infrastructure task force is on balancing risk. The real metric for the future of our economy will be delivery of critical infrastructure. If it sits on lists and circles around processes for decades, we cannot embed any investment. Balancing the need for safeguards against the need for delivery will be critical to delivering this Government's infrastructure ambition.

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