I very much take the Deputy's point. Through my membership of the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change and in my role as Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, I want to support a lot of the work that the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has on the way. As Deputy Leddin is aware, there are some very positive signs. We know that electric car sales rose 81% year on year in 2022, accounting for 15% of all new car registrations last year. We can see many examples now across our economy and…

I take the Deputy's point. I know how hugely important these workers are to our society. However, as I said, it is an area that is fundamental to the work that the Department of Health does. If any proposals are shared with me that look at the matter that the Deputy has raised, I will certainly keep in mind his observations. I look forward to updating him on any progress that is made on it.

The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 provides the regulatory framework for recruitment and selection that all civil and public service employers are required to adhere to. It provided for the establishment of the Commission for Public Service Appointments, CPSA, as the independent regulator for appointments made under the Act; the Public Appointments Service, PAS, as the centralised recruitment, assessment and selection body for the Civil Service; and for other public service bodies…

I certainly will check it out. I have seen so many good examples of mobility within the Civil Service in recent years and I know of the positive role that it can play. I would certainly be interested in understanding any limitations or issues regarding its operation. As I said to the Deputy in answering his question, I am not aware of any concerns at the moment, nor have they been raised with me. As ever, if he has any specific matters that he wants to raise after this, I ask him to let me know so that I can follow…

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is responsible for the allocation of public funds across each area of government spending and seeks to ensure that expenditure is managed by Departments in line with these allocations. Those allocations are laid out in the NDP. To answer the Deputy's questions, the Fiscal Monitor for December 2022 recorded gross capital expenditure of more than €10.9 billion, which was €569 million behind the full 2022 capital expenditure allocation of almost €11.5 billion, including Suppl…

They are options I am willing to look at. We have capital carryovers in place every year. I take the Deputy's point that when the need for new homes and Garda stations to be built and more investment is so great, it is frustrating for Deputies to see significant capital underspends in Departments. The Deputy has asked for the overall figures. The vast majority of Departments have capital spend drawdown for the year of between 95% and 100%. There are a number of Departments in which that is not the case. The reasons…

I cannot give an indication that I will agree to more projects coming into the pipeline because that would be an overall Government decision of significance. I am not yet confident that our capital ceilings for the year will allow that to happen but I will look at it in relation to the other two issues the Deputy raised. There are issues with public procurement and the public spending code related to the underspends we have. I know the Deputy will be aware, given his huge experience, that the absence of carryovers …

I am not in a position to come in front of the House this afternoon, but I am going to come in front of the House at the earliest possible opportunity. I gave an indication in the Dáil, under repeated questioning this morning, that I did want to come back and update the House. I have looked to fulfil my commitments to this House as well as I can. I am committed to continuing to do so.

It may be clear, but it is completely and utterly unacceptable.

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for the opportunity to address Dáil Éireann and clarify matters pertaining to the 2016 election campaign. In that campaign, the Fine Gael organisation in Dublin Central was offered assistance with my re-election campaign, erecting and removing posters. This assistance was understood by me to be on a voluntary basis. It was provided across four dates during the campaign period before and after polling day. Six individuals were involved, working in three pairs. Neither I nor anyone invo…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to respond to the different points Deputies have made this evening. I begin by acknowledging that a wide variety of questions have been put to me. First, in my response, I want to give the best answers I can to many of those questions. Second, I emphasise my apology for what has happened and my awareness of the issues that this conveys regarding integrity in public life and issues that really matter to me. Third, I will also respond to the issues that have been raised…

I should have recognised that. In the context of what was a very difficult and very complex election campaign, I should have been more aware of all that was under way during that campaign and in the years that have elapsed since then, I should have taken action to review my electoral submission.

Second, what I want to emphasise-----

I reiterate my recognition that because I did not know that payments had been made to those individuals, due to that I did not review my election submission form. That was my mistake and I accept responsibility for it. I reiterate my apology again for it. Many, many other questions have been put to me this evening beyond that, on real points of detail which I have done my best to answer in the submission that has now been provided to SIPO. It is now up to SIPO to engage on this. I will engage with SIPO-----

-----in a full way on any matters it wants to raise with me.

The suggestion has been made here this evening that I am in some way making light of what has happened or am in some way looking to dismiss it or to be evasive in relation to it.

Far from it, a Cheann Comhairle. I recognise the seriousness of what has happened here. I have offered my apology for what has happened and my explanation.

There are many, many issues of detail that are for SIPO to form an evaluation on. It is to them that I am accountable in relation to it, in relation to this electoral Act.

I am emphasising my recognition of what has happened here and reiterating my apology for it. But there is a whole set of very, very detailed questions that have been put to me by Deputies this evening about events that happened a number of years ago the answers to which I have put forward in my submission to SIPO.

I have laid out-----