Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)

My colleague Deputy Guirke and the Cathaoirleach asked about a particular matter. People are anxious about whether LEADER funding will be cut further. It has been cut not in successive CAPs at this stage. We talk about cohesion, integration and different regions. LEADER plays a very valuable role in that regard. I am not stating that the CAP should be maintained in its entirety. From an agricultural perspective, I would argue in favour of keeping it as is rather than doing anything else. LEADER funding is the biggest concern because it works in cycles and starts programmes. It is no different from the Dormant Accounts Fund, which also comes under that part of the CAP from which the Department of Social Protection takes funding. It was only the previous week that we had traveller community in here and its programme is coming to an end at the end of next year. That is all based on how much it will be possible to have reinstated and what percentage can be delivered.

I could understand the movement of the money if we could protect certain elements of it. That is the most important part. Defence speaks to many topics, including cybersecurity and everything else. Defence is very broad. I do not mean to make statements, but when I look at what happened during Covid in the context of cybersecurity and the HSE, it probably cost us more to get that sorted than the whole of the pandemic did because nobody really knows what it cost. However, nobody is denying that on-the-fly statement is incorrect and neither are they saying I am wrong to make it.

I can understand the movement of money, but I have a worry about anything that has already been guaranteed in the context of the delivery of projects. I think of the Galway ring road and money that might or could have been allocated to manage that. The ring road is a key piece of infrastructure. If that funding was not there when we want to start it 20 years later - that will hopefully be in the next year so - what would have happened? The Cork lads are happy because they have the Dunkettle interchange and are okay, but Galway people need the ring road. It is about minding the money. The ring road is a key piece of infrastructure to allow the region to continue to grow. We cannot build on the sea; we need to get people moving.

The regions are a big aspect. To be fair to it, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly is continuously compiling fantastic reports. However, it is probably dependent on funding that has not been drawn down but that could be in the mix to be redistributed. That is a concern.