The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) may be asked to carry out a second inquiry into the controversial Punchestown Event Centre. Liam Reid reports.
This morning, members of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee are due to discuss their ongoing inquiries into the agricultural and equestrian facility, following a visit there yesterday.
At the meeting they will decide on whether to call back civil servants and Punchestown officials to public hearings.
Many committee members were critical of the fact that the current management of the racecourse were unable to answer many of the questions regarding the site as they had not been there when the decisions regarding funding were made. They will also discuss whether the C&AG should be asked to carry out a further inquiry.
The centre received 100 per cent State funding of nearly €15 million, which was personally approved by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, and his colleague, the Minister for Finance, Mr Walsh.
The lack of technical evaluation of the centre was criticised in a previous report by the C&AG, in September.
Following yesterday's visit, members from various political parties, including Fianna Fáil, were highly critical of the funding.
TDs said the lack of proper evaluation was without doubt, and now the issue was turning to whether the funding of the centre had provided value for money to the tax payer.
Mr John McGuinness, Kilkenny Fianna Fáil TD, and vice chairman of the PAC said the visit had "raised more questions than it had answered" about the facility.
He said that most of the officials behind the project were no longer involved in Punchestown, and as such it was difficult to establish the background behind the centre.
He also said that figures regarding the cost of the centre in terms of the cost per square metre, would also have to be looked at. "We have to examine this project from a value for money perspective".
His comments were echoed by Mr Michael Noonan, the former Fine Gael leader, "It wasn't a very effective meeting. Everybody involved in the project in 1999 has either resigned or been removed from office."
Mr Noonan said there was also a serious value for money question about the project.
The overall price per square foot cost of the project was significantly higher than high specification buildings in the technology sector, he said.
Mr John Perry, chairman of the PAC, said the committee would also examine whether a second C&AG inquiry might be necessary.
"We will have to consult the Comptroller," he said. In the last report, he was not asked to look at the centre from a value for money point of view, so it might be appropriate to ask him."
Mr Perry also raised concerns that 145 stables and a pavilion block, which are used mainly for the racecourse, were financed out of the event centre money.
"It's about value for money," he said. "We were informed that the centre was never designed for indoor show jumping. Yet when you look at the whole thing you have a massive facility for stabling, but its not compatible for indoor equestrian events."