FF leader:Minister for Finance Brian Cowen gave the "wrong figure" for the cost of the plan to get developers to build private hospitals on public hospital grounds, the Taoiseach said last night.
Mr Cowen, speaking on RTÉ's Questions and Answerson Monday night, said that the plan would cost €70 million a year in tax forgone to the exchequer.
However, Mr Ahern said on last night's Six One Newsthat the correct cost is €56 million gross, or €40 million net. "Brian Cowen gave the right figures a week ago. In the middle of a programme it is very hard to get every figure right. He just said the wrong figure last night. What's in his document is €400 million over seven years: €56 million gross, 40 net. Last night, he gave a higher figure for the gross," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Ahern said that two new national centres will be built for cystic fibrosis sufferers under the National Development Plan. He said he had made the promise "in a letter which I signed in my own name", even though a specific reference is not made to the centres in the NDP.
Earlier, in a visit to the Galway East constituency, Mr Ahern promised 100 "new jobs", which would include 50 extra jobs at the Valois company and 50 posts in an unnamed industry which has signed a lease at Poolboy business park in Ballinasloe.
Noel Treacy told The Irish Timesthat the company could not be identified as its grant-aid application was still in train.
