Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Deputy Howlin is aware, the sectors represented are the business and employer interests, ICTU, farming and agriculture interests, the community and voluntary sector and the environmental sector. Each will nominate a minimum of three and a maximum of four to the council. I appoint 20 members specifically on the basis of nominations from organisations or interests set out in the Act. Included are up to six public servants and up to eight independent members. In the previous council, the independent members were mainly from the higher academic sector. Once the composition is decided, the independent appointments outside those set out in legislation will be made in accordance with the guidelines the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform sets out. Whether one wants to consider a different economic model entirely or look at the challenges that the country faces, things are fragile enough internationally. We are facing elections in the Netherlands and France and later in Germany. There is a possibility of elections in Italy. Clearly the decisions being made by the new Administration in the United States are also having a global impact. For the Oireachtas and all its Members, the question of what the outcome of Brexit will be is a case in point.

When one considers the longer-term analysis the Government is now undertaking by way of public consultation on what we should do for 2020, 2030 and 2040, one must bear in mind that we will have a million extra people, requiring an extra 500,000 houses to be built and the creation of 500,000 extra jobs and infrastructure. We will have to provide these people with transport and a location in which to live. They will require broadband, which is the DNA of regional and rural Ireland. The Deputy, when Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, grappled with all these questions. The questions cover infrastructure, primary care centres, hospital extensions, schools and road structures. In other words, if we are to make the country attractive for investment and for the location of businesses, for quality of life and for people to be able to live and have careers and opportunities, we will have to make the facilities available anyway, irrespective of what kind of model one chooses. I hope there will be a council up and running by the end of March. Academics or others will be appointed after that. Let them engage with the Government on the spring economic statement and the Government's remit for the preparation of the budgets for 2018 and beyond, and feed into the broader consultation taking place for 2020, 2030 and beyond. I am quite sure the NESC will identify itself some really important areas in respect of which it will be anxious to make recommendations. We look forward to that in due course.

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