Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

Senator Gilroy asked about the regeneration projects and I am very firmly committed to the regeneration projects. As regards flexibility, we will ensure that all the capital allocated is spent and will be moved within the budget areas if there is an incapacity or a difficulty. For example, I have indicated the very significant funding allocated to the national children's hospital. This project is subject to planning permission and I am very optimistic that such permission will be given but it is a process over which we have no control.

In reply to Senator Quinn, according to figures I have received from IDA Ireland the average cost per job created and sustained by IDA Ireland is €14,000. The estimate being thrown around by some of 9,000 jobs is based on 12 jobs created per €1 million invested but I think the reality is somewhat different from that. He asked about the website. I have created a website in my Department and I intend to have virtually all data contained there. I am inundated with parliamentary questions, freedom of information requests and so on. All public data on public expenditure should be in the public domain as soon as possible to the point of determination. I intend to show tenders on-line as soon as this can be physically done, the outcome of tenders, building projects, allocations to each line Department down to subhead level and the take-down of that. It is a complicated process but it has been commenced and it is my intention to provide real-time data on public expenditure, hopefully, on a world-model basis.