Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 21 September 2016

Committee on Budgetary Oversight

Current and Capital Expenditure: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

2:00 pm

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have acknowledged our different political views that get to the points he is making, but will he acknowledge, for example, under public transport, on which he quizzed me, the investment we already have that is being funded from the resources that are available to us and the resources that are available under education to our universities and institutes of technology? In terms of where we differ, I believe I have to spend money we either have now or are likely to have in the future without imposing a taxation burden on people I represent and am privileged to serve that would be detrimental to their standards of living and our ability to grow and keep jobs in our country.

In terms of each area of expenditure the Deputy spoke about, we should acknowledge the fact that we are planning to increase capital expenditure in the State by a further €5 billion - up to €27 billion or €28 billion.

The Deputy touched on housing. Will he acknowledge the fact that under the local authority housing plan, the local authority houses that will be built are Exchequer funded? They have been built by the State. We should look at what is happening in Dominick Street and Dolphin House. We should look at the local authority housing plans that have been announced by the Minister, Deputy Coveney, for the length and breadth of the country. Those initiatives are funded by the Exchequer.

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