Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

In this Dáil, which started a number of months ago, as in the last two Dála and previous Dála, this is the procedure followed. In this Dáil, apart from the parties in Government, Fianna Fáil, the Progressive Democrats and the Green Party, the Government appreciates and acknowledges the support it receives from Deputies Finian McGrath, Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy-Rae. We appreciate that before a Government was formed, we discussed the relevant issues of priority to these Deputies. Those issues, many of which are in the public domain, concern nothing other than what people would be seeking in the national development plan, the programme for Government and departmental Estimates issues such as Transport 21. They relate to stated Government policy therefore. The commitments and interests the Deputies have, which are all constituency initiatives or, if not, may concern the overall health service, are in line with providing extra teachers, extra funding for primary and secondary education, additional beds and additional health services. In some cases they are seeking priority areas within their constituencies so that consideration would be given to particular projects in those areas. There is nothing secretive or unusual. In line with their own issues, some Deputies have priorities concerning disabilities, county roads, enterprise and creating employment. All those issues are reflected in the programme for Government and the expenditure programmes. There is nothing outside of these. In supporting the Government, the Deputies hope they will be able to get some degree of priority for those issues. As I have done for ten years and will for the next five, I will do my utmost to deliver on those issues for Deputies who support the Government. In raising these issues Deputies are not ignoring the reality of departmental budgets, national plans and other issues. They are all documented issues that fall within those programmes. Some Deputies have made the issues public knowledge and I have mentioned more of them here. It is right and proper, however, for the Government to try to deliver on some of those matters and for Deputies to seek their implementation.

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