Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

All of us are still paying for this greed and will be doing so for some time. I only say this to put the budget in context. As a general rule, I do not like to dwell on the past because Irish people do not need to be reminded of how bad previous Administrations have made their country. We all know this and will know it forever. I view this budget as a further step for our great country away from that situation. We are finally beginning the process of abandoning mass unemployment and higher bond yields and we are escaping the shame in which we have existed as a bailed-out state for the past four years.

This budget is about building for recovery. It is indeed painful but is being done in the name of recovery. Signs of progress are growing more visible by the day. There is an overarching backdrop to the budget. In terms of history, if this is the budget that sees the exit of the troika, as it will be, history will judge it well as the last of the bailout budgets. In my own brief, I want this to be the last budget where, for example, we have to cut the public transport subsidy. Passenger numbers are beginning to grow again in this sector which is another good sign for the economy.

As a Government, we have introduced a series of measures to stimulate activity in business, tourism, sports, construction and other commercial sectors. We reduced VAT on tourism-based activities to 9% and have retained this rate. We have abolished the air travel tax and have seen tourism numbers grow by 7%. Again, in or of itself this will not make us rich but it is part of a process that increases business activities. As a Minister of State in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, I pushed hard for these measures with my Government colleagues and am delighted they are in place.

I commend my Government colleagues, in particular, the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, for his tireless work to ensure that free GP care will be extended to every child aged under five years. This is not a final but a first step towards universal health care, which I believe to be crucial. The move will benefit more than 250,000 children in this age profile. It will greatly ease pressure for families who will no longer have to fork out more than €50 for every GP visit for their child. Where a child has a condition that requires repeat medical attention, such as asthma, this step will provide major financial relief and will make trips to the doctor less stressful.

See this speech in context