Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I remind the Deputy that the veto was not used. The Government reached an understanding with the company, which did not want to pursue a full investigation or inquiry into the matter. An understanding was reached that the Government would not pursue that approach. The comments I made earlier were relevant to the Leixlip project and other projects. Regardless of any cases which might be made by the Government, I am interested in how this entire area is defined at EU level. The EU should assist companies which are trying to pursue a developmental and innovative role, in line with the Lisbon Agenda. Senior Intel officials in Ireland and abroad decided not to pursue the State aid issue.

It is clear that the changes in the Stability and Growth Pact allow for an expansion of certain programmes. It is obvious that the issue will have to be examined in the context of budgetary and other issues. The Department of Finance has decided to spend 5% of GDP on infrastructural development, which is probably approximately 2% higher than the average. I think it is a higher percentage than that being spent in any other EU member state. It allows for the consideration of a flexibility that would go beyond that — that is a correct interpretation of it. I argued — I do not suggest that I achieved the change alone as I was joined by many others in making the case — that if a country has a low debt, as Ireland does, it should benefit from an increase in the funding allocated to projects which alleviate the infrastructural deficit. We could be on 60 but we are on 30. If one includes pension funds, as one can if one interprets one's accounts in the way I interpret them, we are probably on about 23. We do not include the pension funds, but one can argue the case for their inclusion as I would have done if I had been at the meeting with the Commission today. I am sure Ministers will return to that issue when they prepare the Estimates for next year.

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