Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn and European Investment Bank (EIB) president Werner Hoyer will today sign contracts for the provision of €100 million EIB investment in the school-building programme.
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin met Mr Hoyer this morning. Speaking afterward, Mr Noonan said the investment would build confidence.
"People are beginning to feel a little better about the economy," Mr Noonan said.
He said people would welcome activity again in their towns and villages and cautioned against underestimating the power of such "confidence-building" initiatives.
Mr Howlin said what was being announced was important in itself but that he hoped it would be part of something bigger.
Mr Hoyer said the rest of the European Union was envious of Ireland's demographics.
He said that at a time of great difficulty for the European Union, it was very encouraging to see what had been achieved by the Irish people. He praised the State for reaching a "milestone" on the way to full return to the capital markets.
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