Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As for the alignment that has been done from the objectives of the national planning framework and the national development plan, the two are one. The objectives that are set out in the national development plan are completely aligned to the national planning framework. That was the whole reason for it. The delivery is something we all have a concern about because we all remember the last time a massive amount of money was spent. We all saw the monumental failures that happened such as, for example, the PPARS project. In some cases decentralisation worked but in other cases it was a total disaster. Much of the national spatial strategy was good but much of it was not good and it did not materialise into anything. We know what can happen and that is the reason we must be mindful of the mistakes of the past. What is different in this case is the fact that there is a joined-up plan that has capital in conjunction with planning but also that it will be delivered with the support and oversight of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

I welcome the opportunity to come to the Seanad today. As a neighbour, I have no problem coming here at any time to discuss anything. Senator Higgins referred to procurement. I chair the Government's group on improving access by the SME sector to public procurement. We are constantly looking for suggestions as to how procurement areas can be modernised. We are at a stage now where we are open to suggestions, given that the process has bedded down. I attended a local government procurement conference this morning and I challenged local authorities to contribute to the process. We are open to suggestions if they think there is anything we should be doing. It is fair to say that 94% of what we spend as a country is spent in Ireland and more than half of it is spent in the SME sector supporting a lot of Irish jobs. I would welcome the opportunity to come to the House to listen to constructive suggestions on procurement. Senator Dolan made a legitimate point about the 12% to 15% of people he feels may be discommoded, which I will relay to the Department and to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, who deals specifically with this issue. He is correct; I would not think it is tolerable either.