Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am trying to explain the situation. The first thing I negotiated was whether I could invest the money before we reached the €3 billion target. That is why I was able to announce it in advance. It is not, as the Deputy is implying, the case that until we get €3 billion in the bank, we cannot start spending. That is not the agreement. We do not know what will accrue but we have a reasonable indication of the ballpark figures which would accrue from the assets we have for sale.