Jim McDaid (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

There are many areas which the Department of Transport has sought to fund. For example, tolls should be ring-fenced for the Department. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world and the Department of Finance seems to rule the roost. I have been informed that acceptance of the amendment, as read, would not necessarily mean the Department of Finance could use the capital for capital projects. That Department has observed that there is no question but that the receipts of any sale transaction would be paid into the Exchequer. The Minister may wish to acknowledge at this time that any receipts received would be recorded in the Department of Finance but he might also point out that the allocation of such receipts to capital spending, which we presume is the intention of the Senator's amendment, would not be achieved by it. That is the interpretation I have been given by that Department. We would all like to use capital acquired from the sale of various State assets in different areas but, unfortunately, it goes to the Department of Finance and the Cabinet decides where it should be spent.