Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Overall levels of capital expenditure have been the subject of much debate in this House. The Irish Business Employers Confederation, IBEC, recently published a commentary and views on the matter. It is important that we are clear on what the figures are. In 2013, the State invested €3.4 billion in capital expenditure. For 2017, it is €4.5 billion. It is an increase of €1 billion over a four-year period. Next year, it will go up to €5.3 billion, which is an increase of nearly 50% on 2013. Our plan up to 2021 is to see that capital investment increase to €7.3 billion.

The Deputy makes a fair point on the length of time involved in spending that money.

There are two reasons for that timeline, first, the need for us to go through a public procurement and tendering process which must be done to ensure that Irish and international companies have a chance to give us the best value for the money I am referring to and, second, the planning process. While that is a matter for the Minister, Deputy Coveney, any change to that would be contested. A change has been made relating to housing projects above a certain size. It is the right of citizens who live near areas in which infrastructure or housing is to be put in place to make their views known, but I want to see the figures I referred to spent in the year in which we make the money available.

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