Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)

The Fianna Fáil manifesto provided that if there was a reduction in GDP we reserved the right to alter stamp duty, which I am delighted the Minister for Finance has done.

I particularly welcome the five-year clawback, which is now reduced to two years. It was an issue on which I had received many representations and I am delighted the Minister listened to me and to others.

On schooling, Dublin North, which is the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent's area, and mine, is the fastest growing region imaginable, with thousands of new pupils coming on stream. I am delighted the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin, has a large budget and that provision will be made in 2008 for an extra 12,000 school places. On top of that there is a €900 million budget for special educational needs and we welcome that, in particular. It is worth pointing out that some 17,000 staff are now engaged by the Department on special educational needs,

As Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport and Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I am delighted to see an allocation for development of the overall Government programme in this area. The Arts Council will receive €85 million, €3 million of which will go towards a budget for touring projects. In sporting terms, while I did not have the degree of success on the playing fields as Deputy Deenihan did, as a former player I have a particular interest in sport. It is gratifying to see a budget of €357 million for the sports capital programme. I particularly welcome the fact that €20 million will go towards swimming pool development. In Dublin North there are two projects on hold, one in Skerries and one in Balbriggan as well as the upgrading of the swimming facility in Portmarnock. Equally, some €83 million will go towards Fáilte Ireland and tourism is now the single biggest industry in Ireland. It has eclipsed the building industry. Something in the region of a quarter of a million people now work in tourism, and we believe a budget commensurate with that is worthwhile.

I welcome the fact that 5,500 new affordable homes countrywide will be provided for. Again, Dublin North has the fastest growing house building programme. We should get our share of that and I shall make demands in this regard. Some 9,000 social units are to be built countrywide, which will be well received as will the 4,500 relating to rental accommodation.

As regards overall aspects of the budget I am disappointed with the Opposition, particularly Fine Gael. If Fine Gael Members read their papers and listened to their constituents, they would see that this budget has been welcomed right across the entire spectrum by ordinary people and the business community. I suggest that Deputy Deenihan has a look at today's papers, if he gets the opportunity between my contribution and his. All the leading economists have said it is a good budget, as did the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, the Irish Taxation Institute, the Small Firms Association, the Irish Exporters' Association, the Irish Homebuilders' Association and many more bodies. They have all said this was a good budget, prudent and responsible for the time——

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