Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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490. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of the discussion at the June 2016 EU Council meeting where the EU fiscal rules were discussed and in particular, the way they were being applied to prioritising Government expenditure on Capital Infrastructure. [27015/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The European Council meeting that the Deputy refers to took place in Brussels on 28 June 2016.  The agenda dealt with three broad themes - migration; jobs, growth and investment; and external relations. 

I understand that at the meeting the European Council generally endorsed the country-specific recommendations as discussed by the Council, thus allowing the conclusion of the 2016 European Semester, but no discussion took place on the EU fiscal rules or the way they were being applied to prioritising Government expenditure on Capital Infrastructure.  

As the Deputy will be aware, details of key priorities for capital investment are set out in the Capital Investment Plan 2016-2021 published last year.  This set out the large scale investment programme that will further build the State's economic and social infrastructure, support economic recovery and jobs and support the sustainability of communities throughout Ireland.

Furthermore as set out in the Summer Economic Statement, a total additional €5.1 billion has been allocated to capital expenditure in the period to 2021 reflecting the incentives for capital investment built into the EU Fiscal Rules under the capital-smoothing mechanism.  The allocation of the increased resources available for capital spending will be assessed in the context of the forthcoming capital review.