Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

May I finish my point, please? It is wrong to say one will go nowhere in this country without a degree. That is wrong and not fair. I spent a lot of time working on the skills strategy, focusing on further education and training. Cavan-Monaghan is one of the best areas when it comes to opportunities in that regard. Education is a journey, but there is so much potential in the regions, particularly the north west. There is so much on offer from the various players in education in counties Galway, Mayo and Sligo, as well as Cavan-Monaghan. That is how we will win investment and jobs.

We will reflect that more clearly in the strategy as we go along.

There were a few other issues mentioned. I am not here to comment on each road project the Deputies mentioned but I understand why everyone is raising them. We know there has to be a joined-up approach here and that is what will happen with the investment plan. It is important that they are linked together. I am not going to issue pronouncements on timelines for the various projects. That is not in my gift. The capital plan is being developed and will roll out pretty much in line with this. There will be ongoing reviews to make sure we are making the right decisions on capital investment and that is it aligned with the different parts of the national planning framework. There will mid-term reviews and five-year plans. It is important that the ten-year capital plan reflects the agreed, finalised version of the national planning framework, Ireland 2040 Our Plan. We are here to make sure we strengthen it from a rural point of view. We are agreeing with the Deputy on that and are prepared to do that as well.

Deputy Fitzmaurice touched on some of the same areas and highlighted the importance of actually naming the projects and so on. It is also important that we get the thought process right. What do we want to achieve? What projects will help to achieve it? Where do we have to invest and how do we target investment? People keep mentioning IDA Ireland. Deputy Carol Nolan said she is concerned that it is at the table. I have worked with IDA Ireland and its number one target is to win jobs for the country.