Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

The challenge we have is to protect public money. In the Senator's scenario if the State seeks to appeal or adjudicate a decision that money will be paid over regardless of the State's right to appeal. If the State wins that appeal it will be very difficult for it to get its money back. We will look at mechanisms to avoid this happening and to allow cash to flow as Senator Coghlan suggested - we have already done so. The aim was to try to give protection where the State is part of the contract to protect taxpayers' money. The way suggested by the Senator will take away that protection and allow a greater waste of such money.