Dan Boyle (Green Party)

I agree there is a need for a debate on the national development plan in this House. It has been well flagged that there will be €1 billion in cuts from the capital programme in the budget to be introduced in December. Members should examine where those cuts can and should happen or whenever a cut is proposed, comment on why it should not be made. Our capital expenditure as of now is one of the highest in Europe as a proportion of gross domestic product and will remain so even after a cut of €1 billion. The area on which we need to have this debate is on getting the balance right in our infrastructure. We have had a great deal of expenditure on our roads in the past ten years. I would like to see greater protection of our rail infrastructure in particular and in regard to negative decisions such as the Rosslare-Waterford line.