I do not think that at the start-----

The Minister failed to respond yesterday. There are questions that need to be asked.

My time is up. It is the Minister's turn.

My time is up.

I have been clear regarding what I believe needs to be discussed today because we did not get answers to the questions yesterday. A Chathaoirligh, the-----

I am not asking you to change the Order Paper. I am asking the Minister to answer the questions he should have answered yesterday. He really needs to do a questions and answers session next week and not just give further statements.

My question relates to cost overruns, which have been an issue for some time. What will the Minister do in his new role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure there are no cost overruns of major public works?

The Minister's predecessor, Deputy Michael McGrath, prior to him becoming the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, stated that when it came to capital projects there was a clear pattern of projects costing more than the agreed contract price. He said that we need to know why so many projects end up costing taxpayers far more than planned. The Minister knows that when it comes to cost overruns on capital projects, we are largely in the dark. We are aware the cost overruns can arise a result of poor planning o…

I will bring forward legislation this year on the matter. I hope we can work constructively on that. That legislation is designed to bring greater transparency and social value to public procurement. The Government's own recent White Paper on industrial policy stated that it wants to use public procurement in a strategic way. We will not be able to use the system in a strategic way unless we are gathering the data which would put us in a position to strategise. I would hope that we can work on that. If we are not u…

Who will answer questions?

Questions on ethics and SIPO.

Is rud é seo atá ardaithe agam agus ag mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Kerrane, go rímhinic leis an Aire. Nuair a bhí sí ag plé an méid a bhaineann le LEADER le roinnt blianta anuas, bhíomar á rá go soiléir go dteastaíonn ceantar foréigiúnach ó na hoileáin. We have been raising this for some time. I understand the Minister said she has engaged with the islands but the reality is she has not listened to them. The islanders have been very clear about this. It is a totally different situation for islands. My colleague, D…

Deir an tAire gur éist sí le muintir na n-oileán agus tuigim go raibh sí i dteagmháil leo. An rud atá siad ag rá linne, go soiléir agus le tamall fada anois, ná go dteastaíonn LAG uathu féin. Ní hamháin go ndeir siad siúd é ach tá na grúpaí atá ag dáileadh amach LEADER faoi láthair ag rá go bhfuil siad sásta an obair sin a thabhairt go LAG ar leith do na hoileáin. Mar shampla, tá go leor obair shéasúrach i gceist ar na hoileáin agus tá sé an-deacair do dhaoine 50% de mhaoiniú a mheaitseáil. Níl an bealach atá LEADE…

It is incredible to hear the Taoiseach suggest that when he hears anger from the Opposition on the issue of housing, it is rehearsed anger. If I ever needed any more clarity of the Government's attitude towards housing and how it simply does not get it, it was from the Taoiseach here tonight. I heard the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, who is also missing, suggest that Opposition parties are engaging in divisory politics; that it is old versus young; urban versus rural. If this Government has done anything, it is to u…

Before I begin on the Appropriation Bill, I note that this might be the Minister's last occasion to address the Dáil as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. I thank him for being very constructive throughout his term and I wish him all the best for the future. The purpose of the Appropriation Bill is to give statutory authority for the amounts voted by the Dáil during the year. The appropriation of sums voted for supply services this year is just over €75 billion. The Bill also provides for the definitive ca…

It is no surprise to any of us who have been living in any of our cities over the past number of years that it is becoming increasingly difficult to live in them. Rents continue to increase. We saw the astounding figures yesterday relating to how much they have increased since 2010. It comes as no surprise that people are finding it impossible to live in the cities. Many have to commute further and further. The lessons we learned from Covid-19 about having a work-life balance have been knocked on the head. The real…

I was contacted by a young couple at the weekend who have been saving for their wedding. They had saved a significant sum and, unfortunately, fell victim to a fraud on their Revolut account. That was raised on the Joe Duffy show and in the Irish Independent , and it trended on Twitter last night. It is important for us to use this platform to highlight the danger of that fraud over the Christmas period. The other concern is that the only way to complain or get in contact with Revolut is through a chatbot.

I will focus on public private partnerships on large public infrastructure projects. PPPs have frequently been used for large infrastructure and in social housing, healthcare and education. Today they represent a €11 billion liability for the State. The PPP model of delivery often promised that it would bring great benefits, including better value for money, accessing private finance, greater efficiency from private sector management and risk transfer whereby risk from delays and cost overruns transfer to the priva…

Galway city traffic has been an issue for as long as I can remember and it does reputational damage to the city, nationally and internationally. When a person mentions they are from Galway, it is often the butt of a joke. As Galwegians, we know when traffic will be worse and we always factor that into our daily commute. While reputational damage is frustrating, what is really frustrating for those people is the real-life impact on their lives as a result of the traffic. For a person living on one side of the city a…

Cuirim fáilte ar ais romhat a Cheann Comhairle. Bhí tú sa Chathaoir cúpla uair ó shin. I will raise a few matters with the Minister. We have always had quite a good, constructive relationship. However, I need to respond to some of the points raised by an Teachta Cathal Crowe. He is not present in the Chamber. He is well able to dish it out but whether he can take it is a whole other question. The world and its mother can grasp Sinn Féin's pensions policy but clearly an Teachta Crowe cannot. I am more than happy to …