Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The outworking of the national development plan has to stick to the key principles. We know about the deficit of water and wastewater infrastructure, transport and energy in particular. There is a broader engagement across Government on other requests relating to capital investment, some of which relates to community infrastructure. We have significantly increased our overall capital investment profile in recent years and there is capacity in Departments to continue to support community development and community infrastructure. An example is the profile of sports capital, which an important investment in the development of community infrastructure. Similarly, many local authorities are supported in terms of broader community infrastructure. It is to ensure that it is not just a case of spreading it everywhere. We need to keep to the principles of how we invest in the future. The key deficits are in water, transport and energy, as I referred to. That enables growth of housing supply in particular. That does not mean there will not be some additionality for other important parts of infrastructure development, which community is central to.