Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

Before commenting on the amendment, I should say that it was remiss of me not to welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, to the House and congratulate him on his new appointment. I am conscious that in recent times the Department of Transport has not had a Minister of State, and I wish him well in his new job. It is good to have a Dublin-based Minister of State in the Department who is aware of the relevant issues in the city and its suburbs.

I welcome the change the Government has made in this amendment as a result of an amendment I tabled on Committee Stage. I know it is a small change but it is welcome nonetheless because it recognises that, of itself, transport can play a role in increasing the rate of economic growth. Given the current economic circumstances, that is worth recognising.