Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It has been a hard decade for people. We have not had the money to spend on capital projects that we wanted but we are going to spend €116 billion. None of the Sinn Féin Deputies mentioned the €116 billion for Rebuilding Ireland. They only mentioned the negatives.

Deputies have a variety of positions about this. Some want more funds transferred into the fund and many others want no contributions to the fund due to the challenges being faced now by citizens, including the shortage of housing. Some €2.4 billion will be available to be spent on housing next year. I stand to be corrected, but that is the most money the State has ever spent on housing.

Deputies also referenced health expenditure. We will spend €17 billion on health in 2019. We have never spent more before.

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