Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On the construction of a major family law complex in Dublin, I do not know whether one will be sufficient. Half of the population lives in the greater Dublin area. However, even if it is built, my memory of the Criminal Courts of Justice at Parkgate Street is that is was done on a public-private partnership, PPP, basis. Although people in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform were sometimes dubious about the PPP basis of that building, it was built on time and within budget and is being serviced by the provider for a limited period before it becomes State property. Without being in any way flippant, we do not have to go much further than the children's hospital to realise what can go wrong when we allow non-PPP project management to take over major building projects of this kind. If the Minister is moving on to planning permission for the Dublin family courts complex, I urge her to learn a lesson from the children's hospital situation and ensure she has contractor who will deliver the whole thing on time, with all snags, maintenance and the functioning of the courts being their problem for a limited period, rather than find herself in the position in which the Government has found itself in respect of the children's hospital project.