Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Whatever it is we will put it down to the fact that it is all of those things. It is not self-catering and it is probably provided for. I would equate it to what service would be provided in a nursing home, for instance. It would be similar, except without the medical care. The reality is that our nursing homes are €900 per room and this contract is working out at €2,660 per room per week. I had asked previously what was the template for establishing these figures. I would consider the operation of a nursing home bed to be one that has excessive cost for everybody, whether it is private or State-run. In fact, the HSE is about €600 more for a bed than the nursing home. We need to discuss value for money and how it is being established. I am not seeing templates across Europe that equate to ours. This is where the terminology comes from of making oligarchs out of someone who, for instance, owns Renvyle. That is first question. Where was the costs established? How did the Department come up with the figure and agreed it?

Is it the State or the Department's decision that it would proceed with agreements or contracts where planning permission is in question, either where there are enforcement proceedings or there are question marks over the planning? The witnesses will be aware of the situation in Wexford where the Department is depending on the competent authority of Wexford County Council and county councils to provide a fire certificate yet the councils do not have the competency to decide whether or not a building is exempt from the planning regulations and it has to be sent to An Bord Pleanála. At least that is what they said. I do not know how the Department has the confidence that Wexford County Council has the competency when it clearly does not and has sent it to An Bord Pleanála. Hence we have people protesting for the 155th day now. They are the questions to which I want a clear understanding. Is the Department is prepared to enter into agreements where there is a question over planning permission in terms of the structure? Is that a "Yes" or a "No"? Will it or will it not? Obviously it is legal and it is a legislative requirement under the planning. How does the Department propose to establish that there is planning in place?

Do entities that are set up out of the jurisdiction - for example, in Dubai - provide the Department with a tax clearance certificate? Does the Department enter into contracts with entities as far away as that, which do not have an Irish arm but happen to be the provider?