Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Generally, is it not the case that, in respect of the programme for Government, in critical areas like health, social housing and education, the Government is nowhere near meeting its targets? We were supposed to take four out of every five taxpayers from the top rate of tax. We were supposed to supply 200,000 medical cards but the Taoiseach says the reason for the minuscule take-up of the doctor-only card is because of pay rates and the economy. That does not accord with the incidence of low pay that all the figures show is prevalent in this economy.

Social housing as a proportion of housing output and given demand was higher in the 1970s. Progress towards the commitment on a pupil-teacher ratio of 20:1 in schools in terms of primary children under nine is way off target. Is it not the case that the targets set by Government four and a half years ago are nowhere near to being met?

The commitment on transport states that the Government will develop the metro for Dublin on a PPP basis, making the maximum use of private finance and achieving a link to Dublin Airport by 2007.

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