Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)

Regarding capital investment, there is an awful lot riding on the NDP review. The increase this year was a paltry €226 million. What conversations have taken place with the Department of public expenditure regarding procurement rules? That appears to be a major blocker with regards to the major projects above €200 million.

I wholeheartedly agree with the Minister with regard to optimising the State investment. We have a 100-bed drug treatment facility in Usher's Island, Dublin 8. Almost €37 million went into this from the State and only 50 beds are operational. I was told last week by the drugs policy section in the Department that there is a plan for another 12 beds to be opened but that there is no plan for 27 beds. They are lying idle at a time when people are in serious crisis in the city. My appeal to the Minister is that she makes sure those 100 beds are operational as soon as possible.