Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We are making provision for a gross capital spend of €7.6 billion next year, an increase of 13% over 2006. This will enable further roll-out of our ambitious investment programme currently running at about twice the European average. The medium-term investment envelope will be presented in the National Development Plan 2007-2013, to be published next month.

The national development plan will set out the strategic direction for investment in this country for the next seven years. It will be founded on a commitment to social justice and economic development that is both environmentally sustainable and internationally competitive. The best way of meeting the key social challenges ahead is by putting the individual citizen at the centre of our concerns where the common good must come first, above and beyond strong organisational interests.

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