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

All I heard Deputy Collins do was point out the list of the many difficulties and challenges that we know are there. I am aware, as he is, of the challenges faced by our towns, villages and communities in making progress on issues that are important to them, be that the kind of progress we all want to make in regard to local roads, healthcare facilities or, for example, community employment schemes. I am well aware of that. I ask that the Deputy would anchor what he has just said in some acknowledgement of the progress that is being made. I ask him to acknowledge that this year alone the funding we are putting into better infrastructure, better roads, better public transport, better schools, and better hospitals for our citizens is up by 24%. This is more than €7 billion extra in investment this year in projects that will make a difference to all our citizens, including the Deputy's constituents and the communities he has just outlined. I am pleased to confirm to him that as part of the negotiations I currently have under way with many colleagues I am confident that we will continue to make progress. While I acknowledge the areas in which we have to continue to make more progress, I return the point to the Deputy that amidst the litany of failure he has outlined would he not also acknowledge, as I saw at first hand when I visited his constituency earlier this summer, the progress that is being made on roads, schools and in investment that can make a difference to the towns and villages he has just outlined?

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