Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Its remit was broadened to cater for pension reserves and the purchase of bonds. The NRA is another success story. It built up capacity with a tight management plan and executed successful implementation of multi-annual programmes across county boundaries. People have seen its ability to deliver and can see it as a success story in providing infrastructure throughout the country.

Whether the remit of it or any similar body was broadened, it could work within a budget and deliver a programme on budget and on time. It is an existing, successful model that is not bloated, not goldplated and not bonus driven. It is certainly not the super quango that is Irish Water.

See this speech in context