Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

These projects will help provide the foundations for future economic expansion and sustainable job creation. Direct Government capital investment will be complemented by the extensive capital investment programmes of the commercial State bodies such as the highly visible progress being made by the Dublin Airport Authority on terminal2 in Dublin Airport and the investment by the State energy companies in energyinfrastructure.

Support for Enterprise and Jobs

I am also maintaining our very significant investment in promoting the knowledge economy and enterprise development with a total of almost €500 million in Exchequer capital expenditure in 2009.

Of this total, I have provided more than €300 million for the continued implementation of the strategy for science, technology and innovation to drive world class research and in-company research and development with a view to commercialising new ideas and know-how for the longer term benefit of the economy. We have allocated €179 million to Science Foundation Ireland in 2009, up from €172 million this year, while Enterprise Science Technology Innovation will receive a 2.5% year on year increase, bringing it to €127 million in 2009.

Ireland must continue to compete aggressively for overseas investment while supporting the indigenous sector. Enterprise Ireland and the IDA will be well placed in the coming year to ensure that export-led growth continues to underpin economic revival. The Government will continue to promote research and development, innovation and commercialisation by private enterprise.

School Building

This year we will invest €810 million in capital projects for education. Next year I will provide €889 million — an increase of €79 million.

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