Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Aontaím leis an méid a dúirt an Taoiseach faoi chostas an phlean seo. Tá a fhios ag gach éinne nach féidir é a chur i gcrích go hiomlán muna bhfuil struchtúr eacnamaíochta na tíre láidir go leor. Ba mhaith liom cúpla ceist a chur faoi moltaí agus polasaithe nach mbaineann costas ar bith leo. Mar shampla, is féidir linn athstruchtúrú a dhéanamh ar an chóras cheadúnais bus gan costas ar bith a chruthú. Tá sé sin sa phlean, ach níl nuacht ar bith faoi. Molaim gur chóir don Rialtas rud éigin a dhéanamh faoi truailliú torainn, nó noise pollution, agus faoi comhlachtaí bainistíochta, nó management companies. Níl costas ar bith ag baint leis na moltaí atá leagtha síos. Táimid ag feitheamh le reafrainn ar chearta leanaí. Tá an Teachta Shatter ar an gcoiste atá ag déileáil leis an ábhar sin. An mbeidh an reafrainn ar siúl in éineacht le toghchán ar bith? An bhfuil sé ar intinn ag an Rialtas moltaí agus cuspóirí a leagadh síos maidir le príosúnaigh? Tá sé sin sa phlean, ach níl scéal ar bith faoi ach oiread. Tá ceithre moltaí luaite agam. Níl costas ar bith ag baint leo. Is féidir leis an Rialtas iad a chur i gcrích gan an phlean a athrú, cé nach bhfuil cúrsaí eacnamaíochta na tíre ró-láidir.

The absent Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, who rarely comes in here, stated at the weekend that he wants to stay in Government because there is a national development programme to implement. I am not sure whether that is the reason he wants to stay in Government given that one would probably need a blow torch to remove Green Party Deputies from the seats to which they are welded in absentia. The Taoiseach made the realistic point that the economy is not going in the direction we would prefer and therefore the national development programme cannot be implemented as intended.

In February, I raised the question of restructuring the national development programme and made a number of proposals which are labour intensive but would not entail major costs. These proposals would employ Irish contractors and labourers, thereby giving people respect and opportunities to pay their taxes while at the same time constructing school buildings, primary health care centres and other facilities. The Taoiseach responded by saying the Government was working on the matter and that the broad estimate of the total number employed through the capital investment programme is 100,000 people. Has more work been done on the matter and will we see an analysis of how the national development programme can be rewritten to front load it with labour intensive projects that would get people back to work? In this day and age, people who are healthy, well educated and able to work should not be walking around or doing nothing. The Government should employ itself on this useful exercise.

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