The Taoiseach explained the need for adjustments or cutbacks in different areas such as health, education and housing. The Taoiseach has lost the plot with regard to the issue of climate change given that there has been an 82% increase in greenhouse gas in the past six years in the context of transport.

Ireland has a 6:1 ratio of spending on roads as opposed to public transport. Is it time to go back to the 1998 national road needs study and look again at the National Roads Authority's plans to increase and develop national primary routes? The Government effectively threw out that study and proceeded with a cavalier programme involving 800 kilometres of new motorway which it is now known, since the NRA came before the Committee of Public Accounts, will not cost €22 billion but an amount that is escalating daily in an out-of-control fashion.

Given the cutbacks in various areas, which are hurting many sectors of society, is it time for an assessment of the wisdom of much of the expenditure on transportation, particularly the roads sector? There is capacity for 50,000 cars per day despite the NRA predicting only 12,000 in its needs study. Is there a need to assess this and when will that assessment be undertaken given that many people are being badly hurt by the cutbacks, particularly with regard to schools and housing? Will the Taoiseach consider this area because it is one which has not been cut back to the same extent?

It is because the need for public transport infrastructure is so great—

Why not spend the money on public transport?

There were decades in which it was not possible to improve public transport but transport infrastructure has greatly improved in recent years.

We are talking about roads, not public transport.

Roads are a part of transport. The Government has created for the first time an integrated Department of Transport to deal with these issues. A large amount of money was put into rail, something that had not been done for years. Work on the rail safety programme, which had lacked investment for close to 40 years, is almost complete with the servicing of the rail lines. Luas is within a year of completion and there has been huge investment in DART and rail carriages, with 100 coming on line recently. A huge amount of money has been put into Dublin transportation initiative studies on bus lanes and infrastructure.

However, roads are also required. I accept that a lot of money –€1.4 billion – is being spent on roads. Most people would contend that is not enough although it is relatively more than most countries would spend on transport. I have no difficulty with doing more with regard to rail lines. The comprehensive rail report is before the Minister and will be published shortly. It sets out what is required with regard to rail and the Government must deal with that. An enormous amount of money has been put in and the Government is committed to the rail programme.

It is not a case of one thing competing with another. Ten years ago, it was thought the population would now be 3.6 million but it is over four million. Car ownership has increased dramatically. It is not correct to say that we do not need roads or that roads will be built at the expense of other infrastructure.

We must move on.

I have a second question.

I thought the Deputy had asked a second question.

I certainly did not get an answer. I am not denying that roads are needed but I thought the national roads needs study was what the Government was working from. When the Taoiseach says that he has no difficulty with rail, he is also saying that he has no difficulty with an imbalanced ratio of 6:1 between roads and rail. He is also saying that he has no difficulty with an 82% increase in greenhouse gases over the past six years. That is completely irresponsible and will land the country in far more hot water in terms of international fines than the sums the Taoiseach mentioned. Those in the BMW region would contend that, in any case, much of that money is spent in the Dublin area and not their areas.

Will the Taoiseach carry out an assessment? He talks about the sub-committee on infrastructure carrying out one assessment on roads and another on public transport. Will he put those assessments together so that an assessment can be made on the transport needs of the country?

That is why an integrated Department of Transport was set up. All issues are being considered, not just regarding roads but also rail, aviation and other services that relate indirectly to transport such as haulage. I take the Deputy's point and he should take mine. The rail safety investment programme has been enormously successful. A number of stations have been upgraded, as have suburban rail and the DART, and there are 80 new diesel carriages.

The Department of Transport, the NRA and the various agencies are considering what is required. The national development plan provides details on the infrastructure programme. The plant allocates almost €3 billion to public transport.

The ratio is 6:1.

That is not the case. The national development plan provides for overall funding in this area of €6.7 billion. If I recall correctly, the public transport element is €2.8 billion.

Infrastructure costs are now running at €15.8 billion and rising.

The Deputy is not taking account of the metro. The rail and Luas aspects form substantial components of public transport.