Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the response. In the first instance, in the European Union procurement rules there was no obligation on the Irish Government to privatise these services. I believe it is the wrong direction in which to go.

The Minister said this was additionality in terms of the LES and the services already in place. I disagree fundamentally with that because if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it generally is a duck, especially in this case.

To go back to my original questions which were not answered, and I understand this is not the Minister's portfolio, how much has the programme cost to date in terms of the tendering process and the use of economic research specialists? How much will the programme cost the taxpayer by the end of the four to five year cycle? Are there any break or penalty clauses if the Government decides to pull out early? Those are my fundamental questions and I would appreciate answers to them.