Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response and his efforts to bring some light to the darkness that is contained within what has been already outlined. I take in good faith the commitments that have been made by Government in the Project Ireland 2040 document that has been produced and much talked about in recent months with regard to the extra allocations that are provided for, notwithstanding what was already announced and in this instance up to 25% of which the Minister refers to. However, when I and my party are seeking to inform the public as to what might be contained within a budget package of €3.5 billion, €1.5 billion of which is written off as previously committed, it is incumbent on me and those who I represent to ensure they are made aware of what this actually contains, what it entails and what benefits might accrue to those for whom it is intended. I hope and expect that the Minister would bring about a situation whereby it is laid out in black and white, not what is promised by 2040 but what is provided for in 2019. I simply ask that the Minister elaborate on the examples he has given in response to this question on there being 80 large-scale developments relating to the provision of education capital expenditure that will run from this year into next, on the roads project he mentions in Portlaoise and regarding the Grange Castle Business Park. If the Minister can produce those three, he can produce them all and I would hope the Minister would do so as soon as possible.

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