James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

This country lacks two essential ingredients for rebuilding economic growth and prosperity, competitiveness and infrastructural development. Infrastructure encompasses not only motorways, bypasses and secondary roads, but the broader picture of energy, safer clean water, services, transport, communications, with an emphasis on broadband, as stated by a previous speaker, education and health.

Nowhere in the country is the infrastructural deficit more keenly felt than in the midlands and the greater BMW region. These areas, allied with the Border counties, have the lowest disposable income in the country, according to a recent study by the Central Statistics Office. The figures compiled for the report were for the period from 2000 to 2006, when the economic climate was very different from that pertaining today. This struggling region is being hit even harder by the severe economic downturn. While the countrywide figures for those unemployed show a 75% rise in the past 12 months, Westmeath has suffered an 88.5% increase in job losses within the year and Longford has suffered a 76% increase in the same period. Yesterday, some 50 job losses were announced in C&D Foods in Edgeworthstown, a company founded by a former Taoiseach.

For many who never saw the benefits of the economic boom, this is an unbearable situation. The suffering being experienced by those people and their families who have been forced onto the dole is the human side of the statistics. One of the greatest drawbacks for the BMW region has been the lack of availability of broadband for business and personal use.

Despite repeated Government promises, 18 months ago in this House Longford-Westmeath Deputies Kelly and O'Rourke voted to relocate funds for the roll out of broadband to Sustainable Energy Ireland. By diverting the money earmarked for broadband, the two Deputies concerned shamefully delayed the full provision of high speed Internet access across the midlands, for which the region is still waiting and businesses are suffering.

It is now up to the Government to copper fasten the €35 million in funding due from the EU to provide rural broadband. Regarding the national broadband scheme, the funding must be used to provide sustainable broadband to every farm, business and home across the country. Member states will be required to amend rural development plans by June to ensure the drawdown of funds in 2009 and 2010. More than half - that is, 543 - of the 1,028 electoral divisions currently deemed to have inadequate broadband services are in the Border, midlands and western region. These come under the provisions of the national broadband scheme, which is scheduled to commence this month, with the full roll-out by September 2010. For the sake of the future economic welfare of the BMW region it is to be hoped the Government will finally deliver on its broadband commitment. That is wishful thinking as far as I am concerned.

In a move that can only be described as economic suicide, the Government has short-sightedly halted planned spending on up to 80 national road building schemes. These curbs will affect 78 major construction projects in the National Roads Authority's roads programme - 55 national primary roads and 23 national secondary roads. This move by the Minister will cost jobs and lives throughout the country. Counties such as Longford and Westmeath, which have some of the most dangerous roads in the country, could have an increase in fatalities due to black-spot accidents.

Unveiling the NRA's programme last February, the Minister stated that the programme supported employment and economic activity. Just two months later the investments of €8,798,799 promised for County Longford and nearly €18 million for County Westmeath are to be slashed. Even though unemployment is to reach half a million or more by the end of the year, this Minister has ignored the massive job creation potential of the programme and cut €150 million from the maintenance budget for local roads. This will have a significant impact on employment and economic activity in every county in Ireland. These roads are the economic arteries of the midlands. Shame on the Minister for doing that.

Unfortunately, time constraints prevent me from talking about the full provisions of the Fine Gael proposals for rebuilding Ireland. However, I fully support this motion and commend Deputy Coveney for bringing it before the House.

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