Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The public capital programme deals directly with that area. We are now spending the better part of €6.5 billion on infrastructural deficits and new infrastructure in areas, be it water, sea ports infrastructure, airports or road investment. All local authorities have area development plans and these take account of the facilities that are necessary.

As Deputy Higgins is aware, as he was present, I recently had the opportunity to attend the launch of the Fingal County Council plan — many other plans have been produced also. It is a comprehensive plan setting out how it sees Fingal develop over the next ten to 15 years, in terms of housing, shopping, offices, industry, schools and facilities in this area with a rapidly developing population.

Ten or 15 years ago it was thought there would be only 3.5 million people in this country by 2010 but because of the strength of the economy and the effect of Government policies, that estimate has changed dramatically. That has been reflected and it has been necessary to build a historic number of new schools, roads and facilities, including community centres, which are not part of this committee's remit, but which are part of the plan in the area to which the Deputy referred. These are all crucial elements. Those plans are developed. Local authorities make the cases for them.

The cross-departmental team does not deal with community centres but is concerned with big projects to provide the necessary infrastructure across Departments and the other agencies involved through the managers' system. It has a significant impact on the high level of investment in various forms of infrastructure, including airports, rail, the metro, the Luas and roads, which are being developed under that umbrella.

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