Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister for his opening statement. Before he came in I did mention I was disappointed we did not have it last night. I had a three-hour committee meeting this morning and another meeting as well so I only got a chance to speed-read his presentation and not do as much research as I would normally liked to have done.

The Minister mentioned this is the largest every capital investment plan in the history of State and of course our population has increased by so much. The Minister spoke about providing the 300,000 additional homes we so urgently need and also the need for attracting foreign direct investment. How will we do the two things at the same time? The Department's own Secretary General mentioned his concern about the significant demand for electricity. At one of the committee meetings I attended earlier representatives from the CRU were in attendance and we discussed the increasing cost, demands on the grid, how the grid is not up to standard and how data centres are taking so much of the electricity. We are having power cuts now in north Kildare. Straffan has had continuous power cuts during the past two years. Kilcock has had them as well and Leixlip too, I think. There was a power cut in Maynooth last week.