Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

The amendment seeks to have laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas the figure above which capital projects must specifically be sanctioned by the Minister. It is more practicable and appropriate that this information should be included in the annual report and the financial statements of the executive. I do not regard this as something that should be a confidential matter. I see no difficulty with the Department or the executive providing information on the figure specified by the Minister whenever requested to do so.

Amendment No. 11 seeks to have laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas details of each capital project where the spending on it exceeds the level above which capital projects must specifically be sanctioned by the Minister. Such information is more appropriate to be included in the annual report and the financial statements of the executive. If the executive did breach the figure set by the Minister, it would then become a matter for the Comptroller and Auditor General to highlight in his report on the income and expenditure accounts and the appropriation accounts, to the Committee of Public Accounts which would deal with the matter.