asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state (a) the amount paid or due to be paid by Cork County Council and its subsidiary bodies to consultant engineers and architects for services rendered during the past 15 years; (b) the different schemes for which fees were paid or are due to be paid and the amount in each case, and (c) the amount paid or due to be paid on schemes subsequently not proceeded with.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fees to Architects and Engineers.
The information requested by the Deputy is not available in the records of my Department.
It is very peculiar that this information is not available to be given to me by the Minister.
The Minister is only partly responsible for rates of remuneration. He only gives sanction for the appointment of certain kinds of consultants. It would involve an immense amount of time to get the information asked for. I suggest to the Deputy that the local authority can provide him with information.
I think that, as a Deputy, I am entitled to get the information which I have asked for in the question. It is very important information. I cannot for the life of me see why the Minister has not taken the necessary steps to get this information for me since he usually does so in regard to questions of a similar nature.
As the Deputy has probably realised by now the Minister has often to ask the indulgence of Deputies in regard to the preparation of information of this kind. It requires a great deal of time to get it, and I suggest to the Deputy that if he wishes to get the information he can secure it from the county manager.
In view of the fact that we had the news on another question that a sum of £200,000 has been paid in the form of fees in connection with hospitals is it not time we had an investigation into the fees paid by local authorities and other bodies to architects and engineers?
That is a matter for the local authorities.