John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There has been some media coverage about the low take-up of the strategic investment fund, which was formerly the National Pensions Reserve Fund. I made an inquiry to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport about using the fund to fund infrastructure in regional airports, specifically Waterford Regional Airport. The Department told me that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was drawing up a paper on the strategic investment fund and how best to operate it from now on, because there are concerns that it could be better utilised. There is a question of State aid when using State money or the strategic investment fund for particular infrastructure in regional airports, but the Department did not rule it out. It did not rule out projects that did not come within the scope of the 2015-19 regional airports programme. Beyond that, there was a possibility of its being used for that purpose. It is significant if the fund can be used for a regional airport. The only parameter is that there be a return to the State and that it generate regional economic development. It is something that the Department of Finance launched and advertised and that it conducts. I am hoping the Department of Finance might consider it with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and come to some conclusion with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.