Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. I published the plan, Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021, this week.  It sets out the Government's €27 billion Exchequer capital plan for the next six years.  It includes a new third phase in the Government's public private partnership, PPP, programme and is in addition to other State-led investments, bringing the total to €42 billion.

In terms of transport, the plan outlines an investment of €6 billion on roads across the country over the next seven years, including roads projects targeted at removing critical bottlenecks, some of which will be known to the Deputy, and upgrading inadequate sections. Additional investment will be provided for the continued development and improvement of sports facilities at regional and local levels and for further enhancement of the tourism offering through further investment in the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's Ancient East and other innovative tourism products.

As well as building schools across the country, which will be focused on demographic need, we will fund the installation of wireless networks and ICT hardware in all schools.

With regard to supporting regional development and sustaining communities, there are substantial investment commitments to support the roll out of broadband. The rural economy will benefit from the critical investment set out in the investment framework by a provision of €235 millionfor Leader. A new village renewal scheme has been set out to support the revitalisation of towns and villages.

As my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, said, we are providing an investment of €430 million in flood risk mitigation across the country in areas where there is the greatest risk. We have provided extra funding also for the peatlands restoration programme to restore peatlands to their natural state.

The Government is committed to rural Ireland. We are committed to creating jobs on a sustainable basis across the country. The roll out of local enterprise offices provides an opportunity to increase engagement with the wider enterprise community to provide micro and small enterprises, which are the main employers in rural Ireland, with the funding and the supports they need. Over the lifetime of the plan, Exchequer investment will support 45,000 jobs in every part of the country.

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