Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

One of the findings of the Central Statistics Office report, Measuring Ireland's Progress 2004, was that the population has increased to over 4 million, the second highest rate of growth in the European Union. Will the Minister of State agree that after eight years of his Government in power, it is now painfully clear that his preparation for this population increase and its implications has been pathetically inadequate and that the Government is floundering in front of the urgent needs of these new and expanding communities and the community of youth? Will he agree also that the west Dublin area is a good example of what we face, considering that it is the fastest growing area in Europe, yet virtually every week I have to attend meetings of committees in new and expanding communities that have to struggle with the State to get the most basic facilities, such as schools, community facilities and other needs?

Last night I attended a meeting of the parents' association of Castleknock Community College. Will the Minister of State agree that only a few years ago that college was designed on the orders of the Department to cater for 440 students but it now has 1,100 students, making it the second or third largest school in the country, brought about by incremental additions in response to what should have been foreseen, which is a massively expanding community? Will he agree that is pathetic planning by the Government? The college urgently needs a major sports hall but the Government will not set aside the resources for that. Does the Minister of State agree that it highlights the scandal of €60 million of junked electronic voting machines lying in holes around this country when that amount of money could build ten sports halls? His colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, spent €30 million on unsuitable land for a prison without proper competitive tendering, an amount that would make even a seasoned land speculator blush so generous was it. As a member of the Committee of Public Accounts I was shocked that the €7 billion set aside for roads jumped to €16 billion within a few years.

In view of this incredible misappropriation and incorrect prioritisation, what urgent action will the Government take to redirect resources to the urgent community needs brought to our attention by the CSO's report? Does the Minister of State agree that if this were done the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform would not need to throw anti-social behaviour orders around like confetti as another pathetic response? If social infrastructure for the youth was put in place in communities many of the problems with which we must now contend would not exist and young people would be diverted away from anti-social behaviour. While I put a number of questions the nub of all of them is the necessary resources now urgently needed in community and social infrastructure.

See this speech in context