Tá sé feicthe againn le coicís anois cé chomh dona is atá an buninfreastuchtúr san iarthar agus i leithéidí Chonamara. We have seen the lack of good quality infrastructure across the west, and particularly in Connemara, over the past two weeks. The Minister has responsibility for infrastructure. What are his plans are to improve the quality of infrastructure in the west?

Mar gheall go raibh an tAire ina Aire Stáit le freagracht as an nGaeltacht, tá a fhios agam go dtuigeann sé go maith an easpa infreastruchtúir atá i gConamara. I know, from the Deputy Chambers' time as Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, he travelled around the Gaeltacht areas. He travelled extensively around Connemara. That gives the Minister good insight as to the real issues in terms of that basic infrastructure piece in Connemara. People have now been almost two weeks without access to telecommunications. They…

I thank the Minister. The review of the NDP is something I will contribute to. I hear what the Minister is saying. We need investment in roads. We need investment in public transport as well across the areas in question. When I am talking about basic infrastructure, I mean those 38 KV lines and the lines that run directly into people's homes. Everything is crumbling. If the Minister travels across Connemara, he will see poles split in half. From when the original damage happened in November, there are still lines l…

This question follows our discussions last night on the Minister's proposed legislation on super junior Ministers and on increasing their number. Will the Minister give an update on that? The legislation was railroaded through last night and the same thing looks set to be done today in the Seanad.

I said last night and will say again that the Bill was railroaded through the Dáil yesterday. It was, again, jobs for the boys, and Mercs and perks. What sickens me is the fact we are always told that things cannot be done overnight but things can be done overnight when it means certain people get more perks, money and all of that. When we see the types of crises we have and the type of waste of public money that the previous Government, and this Government, have engaged in, it is absolutely outrageous. We were ver…

I do not think the Minister answered my question from last night when I asked which super junior Minister would be impacted by the legislation. If only three were being allowed, which super junior Minister was not getting the full whack money if he or she was the fourth super junior Minister? Maybe the Minister can enlighten us on that. He is missing the point here. He is talking about what is happening in other countries. We can agree or disagree on that. We can have that argument. The point here is that if the Mi…

With agreement from Teachtaí Nash and McGuinness, may Deputy Ó Murchú take Question No. 80 now, before he takes the Chair? Agreed.

Brevity.

I would like it if the Minister detailed the steps that are going to be taken to ensure that planned expenditure on projects under the national development plan are properly costed and that the projects have realistic start and completion dates. Many have been frustrated in that we have seen far too many cost overruns and a lack of completion dates.

It is very hard for people to have faith in the Government, definitely on the back of what the previous Government oversaw regarding the national children’s hospital, cost overruns, there being no idea of a completion date, and a change in completion dates. The current Government needs to take this seriously, just as it needs to take seriously the need to stop the wastage of public money. It is incredible that there is a wall – I looked at it – that cost the guts of half a million euro. It is also incredible that w…

It is very difficult for people to believe that this will be taken seriously by the Government because we have been seeing more crazy sums of public money being wasted. I will have a Bill forthcoming in this Dáil which will clearly help to identify cost overruns, deficient contractors and wasteful public procurement spending of public moneys. I know this is the first time the Minister and I have worked together like this, but when I point out issues and things I do not agree with, I like to come with legislation th…

I am asking that the Tánaiste make himself available to the House to answer questions regarding his party’s investigation into Senator Martin Conway for inappropriate behaviour towards a female staff member. We wrote to the Tánaiste and the Ceann Comhairle requesting that time be set aside and we also raised this at the Business Committee but this has been declined. We know there was an investigation by Fine Gael but what we do not know is what the Tánaiste knew or when he knew it. We also know that a payment of €1…

----- but we do not know by whom.

It is legitimate.

It is not an allegation.

I-----

I will ask a direct question to the Tánaiste then.

Okay. I withdraw the allegations. Rather than there be allegations or anything like this-----

-----I would ask the Tánaiste to-----

------make time next week to speak on this.