Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I suppose the Deputy could claim that the question tabled by his colleague was the catalyst for making sure all of this was done. If he makes such a claim, I will not deny it publicly. As he is aware, I launched the public capital investment programme, Building on Recovery, earlier this week. It sets out the Government's commitment to a €27 billion six-year capital plan. This investment will increase the State's infrastructure, support economic recovery and jobs and support sustainable communities throughout the country. When we include investment from the wider semi-State sector and from public private partnerships, as outlined in the plan, it is clear that total State-led investment will amount to €42 billion over the period covered by the plan. The capital investment plan has been carefully designed to meet the needs of a growing economy, to improve the delivery of services to communities and to maximise the benefit of support by providing Exchequer investment throughout the country.  It builds on the recovery and addresses emerging pressures, especially on transport networks. It supports the regions, provides social infrastructure to enhance quality of life and is responsive to environmental challenges.

  The provision of jobs has been the Government's top priority from day one. This €27 billion plan will sustain 45,000 jobs. I will give a rough outline of the distribution of the money. Some €4 billion will be spent in education, €4 billion will be spent in the area of the environment, €3 billion will be spent in health, €3 billion will be spent in promoting enterprise and jobs, €1.25 billion will be spent in agriculture and €1 billion will be spent in justice. In order to grow businesses, we are also allocating a special envelope to support transport, amounting to €10 billion over seven years to fund public transport and roads. My colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Donohoe, has outlined the flagship project, which is the new metro scheme for Dublin.  However, I emphasise that this is a national scheme. I know the Deputy will be particularly interested in rural broadband, the rural development programme, the new village renewal programme and all the other supports that are laid out. I will be very happy to go through them in detail if he wishes.

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