Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

Before I discuss what must remain of central importance in our spending, I must reiterate that a strong and competitive economy is the key. We need to cut Government waste, get the most from value for money programmes and expand the reviews of quangos. Fine Gael has advocated such an approach for a long time. Every euro counts in shops today, and we need every euro to count in Government. Let us start with a new sense of responsibility for the hard-earned euro of the taxpayer. This should have been a byword in the boom, but let the Government at least take it on board now.

My concern is that cuts affecting the most vulnerable have already occurred, silently, sneakily, even before this new programme. We must protect the older people, and not abandon them. I discovered this week that the home care package provision run by the HSE is not being adequately funded. There are now waiting lists, recycled funding and worst of all, cuts.

We have had no promised fair deal from the Department of Health and Children. The €10 million for that should be ringfenced for older people. If not there will be cuts. What we see as regards the innovative hospital in the home programme are cuts. Some 220,000 in total suffer from fuel poverty. People just cannot heat their homes to a safe and comfortable level. The solution is a fuel allowance of €18 per week for only 30 weeks of the year. A constituent told me last week he had recently spent the same amount on oil that it had taken to fill the tank last year and got 550 litres less. The Government needs to increase the number of weeks for which the allowance is paid. This summer has been cold, wet and damp and people are already struggling. The amount paid out needs to be increased. The Government needs to initiate this now and not wait until next year. The shocking increase in fuel prices has been compounded by rising food costs, especially as regards basic goods. I have heard older people say they have to choose between food and fuel and this is not good enough in this day.

Agriculture and tourism are major industries that have sustained Ireland in the past. While building on many other areas we need to focus on both those industries, which have the capacity to perform well. Given Ireland's ability to export food products, we are well situated to contribute to the alleviation of the global food shortage. In terms of tourism, the infrastructure is ready and waiting. We have hotels, bed and breakfast outlets, heritage, cultural and historical centres right across the country. I have no doubt that tourism will grow. We have priced ourselves out of the market, however, and I believe both of these industries must be supported. We have listened today to the Minister, Deputy Martin Cullen, talking about the ability of sporting organisations, particularly the racing industry, to expand and the amount of employment that can be created. I agree with him that there is enormous potential in the agri-tourism and equine related area and we certainly need to build on it.

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