The state should maintain investment in capital infrastructure programmes despite the economic difficulties caused by Covid-19, the Secretary-General of the Department of Public Expenditure Reform has said.
However, Robert Watt added the construction sector must guarantee value for money. Addressing the Construction Industry Federation conference, Mr Watt said there was no imperative to cut back capital spending, particularly as there was a clear need to invest in infrastructure including housing.
He said there were investments in the private sector which were now unlikely to proceed and argued that the state should step in to pick up that capacity in construction.