Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

Will the Minister confirm what Senator Mansergh has said, that it is a substitution for consultants? If this body is to substitute for consultants and there has to be an assessment by it of all projects throughout the country, surely it will have to call in consultants' expertise. If not, then the agency will be nothing more than a stalling group for endless projects, as in the Department of Education and Science. There are no architects but there is a list of 400 national schools that are begging for the go-ahead. Now there will be another agency that will take control, in order to give advice. Nothing will be given the go-ahead or the green light until this body has vetted it as to its value for money. With a range of projects throughout the country awaiting a final decision, there will be further delays. Maybe this is a kind of interim agency to legitimately hold and freeze everything. The Government does not know where it is going with this Bill.