Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

Can I propose that No. 15, the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) (Amendment) Bill 2009, in the names of Senators Coghlan, Cummins and Fitzgerald be taken before No. 1 today?

I wish to raise an issue with the Leader that I have raised here on many occasions, namely, public private partnerships. These partnerships have been used in water and sewerage schemes, schools and roads. All those public private partnerships are arranged over a 20 to 25 year period with an annual inflation built in to them of around 4%-6%. Now that we are in a deflationary period, what is the situation? I am looking for a debate on public private partnerships. We should have a look at how they are performing, their cost to the taxpayer and to the ratepayer and their efficiency. They are long enough in existence that we can examine them, especially when we are in a deflationary period. Is the year on year inflation in their contracts still taking effect?