Averil Power (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is the kind of small-minded nonsense that one might expect from the Minister, Deputy Reilly, but we have not actually taken that approach. The Minister referred in his response to the fact that, on the basis of the figures published yesterday, the preferred site option will cost €80 million less than the other options. That is as much as he has said on the costings. Has the Minister seen any more data than that? Has he seen more than half a page of costings? I ask that he give the details of what that figure of €80 million is based on because it is not evident from the report that was published. Can the Minister assure me that it is in line with the Government's own cost-benefit criteria? Does it take into account the broader social costs? The only elements mentioned in the report are pipe lines and land. Does the decision take into account the fact that this site is off the N32, just beside the interchange of the M50 and the M1? Its development will necessitate digging up major roads, leading to enormous traffic disruption and economic costs to the area.