Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In introducing the Finance (No. 2) Bill, the Minister stated the objectives of the Government over the past two and a half years were, first, the implementation, and second, the exiting of the EU-ECB-IMF bailout. In parallel with this, the Government sought to support business by creating jobs, putting people back to work and putting people into education and retraining. In the context of this budget and Finance (No. 2) Bill, the Government certainly is on target to achieve this. I compliment the Minister on his personal input in this regard, as well as on the leadership and direction he has shown over the past two and a half years in getting us to this point.

Members of the Opposition will criticise elements of a budget and Finance Bill, and in fairness to them, none of us is perfect and neither is this measure. Despite what the Opposition might say, however, it certainly has received overwhelming endorsement from the private sector. The president of the Construction Industry Federation, Mr. Tom Parlon, represents an industry that was devastated by the mismanagement of the previous Government and has come out strongly in favour of the incentives that are in place for construction. Deputy Carey mentioned the housing renovations initiative, but initiatives are also in place in respect of schools and prisons. While Deputy Buttimer has left the Chamber, I note a new prison is being built in Cork although I do not know whether he will take credit for that. In addition, Limerick Prison is being renovated to upgrade and modernise it.

From my perspective, I must welcome the measures with regard to farming and, in particular, in respect of farm consolidation and the handing over of farms to next-of-kin and to sons and daughters. I welcome the concessions that have been made and which will apply up to 2015 in this regard, as well as in respect of stamp duty. I also welcome the new initiatives regarding long-term leasing, which will enable land to be brought into full production and act as an incentive for all land to be utilised. I look forward to more such initiatives. I also welcome the €23 million that has been invested in a new beef genomics scheme which will be of great benefit to the suckler herd, which has been experiencing some degree of difficulty and pressure.

There have also been initiatives in respect of starting one's own business, and Deputy Carey mentioned the initiatives pertaining to air travel and tourism.

Those initiatives are important not only for Limerick and Shannon but for the mid-west and the midlands. I am glad the Government is concentrating on that sector. We had an immediate response to that from Ryanair which launched new routes out of Shannon.

I also welcome the initiatives in the justice area, particularly the recommencement of recruitment to the Garda Síochána, which will result in the Garda college in Templemore being used again, and the €9 million that has been invested in the Garda traffic fleet. There are a number of issues to cover, and with only four minutes allocated for contributions, I may not get to mention a number of them.

I want to end on the issue on which I began regarding the Minister and the EU-ECB-IMF bailout. Many people have suffered in recent years on foot of the poor decisions taken resulting from the bank crisis, especially those who lost their jobs, those in receipt of social welfare benefit and those in receipt of disability benefit. I am sure the Acting Chairman would agree that 15 December will be a red letter day for Ireland when it is hoped, under the leadership of the Minister, Deputy Noonan, we will exit the bailout programme. I ask that the Minister use the mechanisms of the Finance Bill to grant those who have suffered most a bonus over the Christmas period, namely, that social welfare recipients be given a bonus that was traditionally given some years ago. I ask that he do that as a gesture of goodwill and of hope for the future that this country is getting back to where it once was.

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