Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Well, you're aware of all the ... the way that budgets were always drafted for years where secrecy always applied, and the Minister for Finance of the day came in and read out the budget to the House. We ... the spring economic statement, which is introduced now by the Government, sets out the parameters of the budget, and we're not going beyond that, and that's a €1.2 billion to €1.5 billion range divided on a 50:50 basis between both the Minister for Finance and the Minister for expenditure, and Government obviously will reflect on that.

The national economic discourse down in Dublin Castle recently, not only allowed for people to engage in public, but also for them to send in their propositions in respect of the forthcoming budget in October, and that will include, I assume, their, you know, propositions in respect of capital expenditure and so on. So the capital programme will go out ahead for a number of years. It will involve considerable expenditure, and clearly there are some issues that must be dealt with. For instance, you know, the ... in this major city here, the situation regarding transport has got to be addressed.

So, we've had the opportunity to discuss the spring statement; you have regular sessions in the Dáil, be it on housing or other areas of the economy, and when the Government do publish its capital programme, Senator, that will be available and obviously will be discussed and debated as well.