I am disappointed that Taoiseach has left as he has agreed to set up a task force for Tipperary town where 5,000 people took to the streets. They intend to do so again in February. It is meant to be an interdepartmental task force. It needs to embrace and collaborate fully with the various groups in the town. Will the Tánaiste ensure the Ministers for Transport, Tourism and Sport and Business, Enterprise and Innovation are involved and that all of the groups in the town which want to engage, be involved and collaborate for the betterment of its people are also involved?

I am very familiar with Tipperary town and understand why local business interests and stakeholders want to see a more co-ordinated approach to its future planning. The Government has committed to assisting in that regard.

Yesterday we learned from our colleague, Deputy Colm Brophy, Chairman of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight, that the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr. Watt, had refused to come before the committee to speak to it about what is a major project for, considering the massive overspend in the area of health. In particular, we have an interest in the huge overruns in building the national children's hospital. Mr. Watt's Department is responsible for public procurement. I understand other committees of the House are also interested in interviewing the Secretary General. What is the view of the Tánaiste that the most senior civil servant in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is not prepared to speak to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight, which is an important initiative of the Dáil?

I refer the Deputy to the long answer given earlier by the Taoiseach on this issue. He explained that the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform appeared before Oireachtas committees all of the time but that issues related health expenditure were the responsibility of the Accounting Officer with responsibility for health expenditure, the Secretary General of the Department of Health.