Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy makes very relevant points on this being a good period for investment. The Government is keenly aware of that. As the Deputy is aware, the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, has been making visits across the EU to discuss that very issue. For the first time the European Investment Bank now has a centre in Dublin. This is very important and is another sign of its support for Ireland. The potential for investment is clearly there.

I agree with Deputy McGrath, as does the Government, that other avenues should be explored for capital funding. That is what we will be doing in the months ahead and in the lead-up to the budget. The bottom line is that compared with where it was, the economy is in such good shape that in the next few years, we will go back to those pre-crash levels of investment in capital infrastructure that everybody knows are badly needed.

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