Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. However, it is obvious that a project scheme is in place for the period 2012 to 2016. The Minister of State has outlined a number of these projects and has referred to the severe constraints on the public budget. In the context of the 2012 to 2016 capital budget, is Government planning to confine itself to the projects as outlined and only if they are PPP projects?

Could projects such as the N16 road project be the subject of a PPP in the future? I do not ask the Minister of State to outline how the system works but how road projects are selected for PPPs? Is a commercial decision taken by the private partners who see merit in it or does the Government decide on the basis of priorities around the country? I am trying to figure it out in the context of the N16 road project.