Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Is the capital plan being discussed by this Cabinet subcommittee or by the Cabinet as a whole? It will affect every area of Government and every Department of State. Will this House be able to make an input into the plan before it is determined by the full Cabinet?

We are all mindful of the damage that has been done in this country in recent days. The mitigation of the effects of climate change on our built infrastructure is an ongoing issue. What are we going to do about it? We need to look at all elements of it, including the prevention of flooding and coastal protection. The need to look at specific areas, such as the island of Cobh, has become very clear in the 48 hours following Monday's storm. The road from Fota is the only point of access to Cobh. My colleague, Councillor Cathal Rasmussen, raised this matter nationally last night. The vulnerability of Cobh is an issue that goes back many years. Will that kind of issue be comprehended in an overall climate change mitigation plan as part of the capital programme that is to be set out?

I would also like to ask about the duration of the capital plan. The Taoiseach previously indicated that it will cover a ten-year period. Will that be the case for every Department? A ten-year horizon is needed in the transport sector because it takes such a long period to develop certain major projects, such as metro north. As a result of changing demographics, more flexibility is needed to deal with other areas, including education. Will there be one ten-year plan for every Department? In the case of the previous plan, there was a longer-term plan for transport and a more agile shorter-term plan for other Departments of State.

See this speech in context