Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

-----is the reduction in 2012. Let us be honest with people. People are not fools. God knows they are carrying enough burden without being coded too.

Senator O'Brien made some constructive points. I would like to respond to the two specific questions he asked. The issue of the greater Dublin drainage scheme has been raised on a number of occasions by colleagues of the Senator representing the constituencies directly affected. I am giving an undertaking now to the Senator that I will have it investigated.

I previously Minister in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. There is a propensity for engineers to have big schemes. They much prefer to build reservoirs than fix leaks. There is nothing sexy about fixing a hole but construction of a multi million euro dam and piping water for miles is a big event. I prefer to fix the leaks. I have given the Senator an undertaking that I will have the matter investigated.

In response to the Senator's direct and specific question in regard to whether metro north is deferred or cancelled, it is deferred. It remains a priority. It is hoped we can fix our economic finances quicker than anticipated and that international pressures will abate leaving us on a quicker path of recovery. If that happens I guarantee the Senator that metro north will be back on our agenda.