Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I say to the Minister of State and to his senior Minister that the Labour Party offered a mechanism to address this issue. I am pleased that Deputy Kenny has also endorsed this proposal. If the Minister of State is of the opinion that he cannot spend the money in this budgetary period because it might be spent inappropriately — which is a reasonable argument — there is a way to meet and honour the important commitment which Ireland made, which is to create a special development aid fund under the control and management of the National Treasury Management Agency, just like the National Pension Reserve Fund. This would provide the Government with the mechanism for contributing the money which is promised and spending it over a longer period. The capital spending envelope which was referred to in the budget could easily be utilised to allow the Government to honour its promise.

I was disappointed by the Minister of State's flimming and flamming on "Prime Time" last night when he stated that the money could not be spent. I could write down on one page how the money can be spent.

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