A junior minister has defended the expenditure around controversial projects financed by public money as he took aim at opposition politicians for not entering into government.
Minister of State Kevin “Boxer” Moran engaged in fierce exchanges in defence of public spending on a range of projects, including a security hut near Government Buildings and a bike shelter at Leinster House.
Mr Moran, who holds responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) within the Department of Public Expenditure, said the Government condemns the waste of public money.
He said he wanted to counteract a narrative that the Government had not been placing oversight and accountability at the heart of the expenditure and management.
He added: “Nothing could be further from the truth. There are a wide range of frameworks that public bodies must follow to ensure value for money and accountability at the highest level.”
Mr Moran was responding to an opposition motion on “Government waste and oversight in public expenditure” brought by the Independent Ireland party.
The motion raised more than a dozen “ongoing failures” in Government-funded projects such as the 1.4 million euro security hut and 336,000 euro bike shelter – both overseen by the OPW.
Mr Moran, who was not a member of the Dail during the previous government, said: “I was the first one to admit, the first one to say and apologise to people that mistakes were made.”
He criticised the opposition for describing the structure as a “bike shed”, instead calling on them to “get it right” by describing it as a “bike shelter” at a listed building that was “cherished by people all over the world”.
He also said the security hut was necessary to protect people who work at Government Buildings.
Mr Moran then faced calls to correct the Dail record after saying the hut cost 300,000 euros.
The pavilion structure itself cost 280,000 euros but the bill for the entire project cost 1.4 million euros.
Elsewhere, he responded to criticism of ongoing OPW expenditure on a wall at the Hill of Tara which was damaged by heavy rainfall in 2010.
The junior minister said: “The OPW is not ‘building a wall’ in the Hill of Tara. OPW are carrying out maintenance work out on a wall there.
“And it might go on 12 years – and it might go on 12, but the Hill of Tara never closed. It opened to business for everybody to enjoy.”
Independent Ireland also highlighted 725 million euros allocated to RTE in the wake of its financial scandal, 230,000 euros spent to modify a room in Leinster House for an 800,000 euro printer which was found to be too big, and the ballooning overrun in the National Children’s Hospital which is now expected to cost 2.5 billion euros.
In addition, more recently uncovered controversies are given as examples, including the Arts Council spending 6.67 million euros on a failed IT project, and 120,000 euros spent on a scanner at the National Gallery despite no suitable lead-lined room being identified.
Independent Ireland called on the Government to create an independent watchdog for Government spending entitled the Department of Efficiency and Reform.
The entity would be recruited entirely from the private sector and be dedicated to investigating public sector spending, waste, and inefficiency.
Independent Ireland founder Michael Collins (Liam McBurney/PA)
It would also conduct unannounced audits on public bodies, agencies and non-governmental organisations.
The proposal has been likened to the Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiency in the current US administration, although Independent Ireland insists it had the idea in January last year.
The Government amendment to the motion effectively substitutes the entirety of the text with an acknowledgement that significant sums have been spent on improving public services and infrastructure, adding that there is no requirement for a new body because of existing “high standard” governance procedures and the “high quality” Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Mr Moran, who entered into government after running as an independent, took aim at some of the members in the opposition during his response.
He accused Independent Ireland of an “Elon Musk-type” approach, adding: “Kill the system, kill the people – the very people providing for this country.”
He also accused opposition parties and certain independents of “failing” to enter into government.
“You portrayed yourselves as everything we’re doing on this side of the House is wrong, and it was shame on you for portraying that.
“Everyone in this House had a chance to stand where I am. Every single one, you all failed.”
He added: “You went out on social media, you went on radio, you went on television. You talked about government, but you failed to go into government.
“I went in because I believe I can make a say, I can make changes. I believe that I can deliver.”
On the controversial projects, Independent Ireland founder Michael Collins told Mr Moran: “You got up and defended that, you should be ashamed of yourself.
“Because you’re a man I respect, but I won’t respect you for that, if you don’t mind me saying so.”
Mr Moran said he would defend it “all day”.
Mr Collins accused the Government of “robbing” taxpayers’ money to finance the projects.
A heated back-and-forth between the two men followed during which Mr Moran said Mr Collins should have entered into government.
Mr Collins said his party had engaged in negotiations to enter government.
In a later session in the Dail, Aontu leader Peadar Toibin asked Taoiseach Micheal Martin about what measures he would take to combat Government waste – particularly around 100 million euros in overpayments of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).
Mr Martin said the suggestion around the Government wasting money was a “disingenuous distortion”, adding that the PUP was essential during the pandemic.
He said fraud must always be pursued and pledged that the Department of Social Protection would “go after the overpayments”.