Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Again, it is a broad tapestry of issues. There is an expectation that we will engage in strategic planning beyond the horizon of our mandate. By definition, the planning of major infrastructural projects, whether it be the national children's hospital or the N17 road project, will require years of work. There has to be an understanding that some projects will continue over time. Of course, one cannot tie the hands of an incoming Government, as new priorities will be set, but neither can we look into a crystal ball and be sure there will not be another major jolt in the world that will turn everything on its head. It is prudent, therefore, to have a reasonable horizon and make determinations that are not outrageous or outlandish. As far as is practicable, the greater body politic should be included in that decision making process to have as much of a buy-in and continuity as possible.

I have asked somebody with more mental arithmetic ability to check the savings achieved. It always sounds like a significant sum, but it is in the order of 0.25%. Most businesses would like to be accurate to that level. As many are demand-led public services, it is a very reasonable outturn and we provide for a carryover of capital.

I was asked about flood damage caused last year and people wanted to be able to undertake repairs. As rectifying some of the flood damage caused in coastal areas required not only planning but also foreshore licences and all the rest, the funding required could not be expended in one year. We have allowed for it to be carried over.

I was asked if there was sufficient capital funding. We made hard decisions in 2011 and substantially reduced the capital programme, for which we received much criticism. It was either that or cut the current programme, which predominantly covered health, social welfare and education services. We are between a rock and a hard place and it can be very difficult to justify it when people literally do not have enough on which to survive in social welfare payments or need fundamental treatment in the health service. Can we say we will not provide it and that we will build better roads or have better broadband instead? It is a difficult choice to make.

In the next weeks we will be profiling for the coming five years slightly increased capital investment. Perversely, if a motorway system is broadened, for example, there will be bigger maintenance bills. As they age, roads also need to be maintained. I have been asked a very pertinent question to which I do not have an easy answer: what we will get from the Juncker scheme? I do not know the answer. I know that we have submitted robust plans and, as the European Union phrase constantly puts it, we stand ready to expend anything we can get. We will pay great attention to how this is rolled out over time. That applies to me and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, as well as other Ministers involved in interacting with the Commission.