Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Will the Government reduce taxation by €1,600? The programme for Government also promised greater devolution of powers to local authorities, but we have seen little evidence of this. There is also a change in the balance of power between county managers and democratically elected councillors. As we know, county managers hold most of the cards; in recent days we saw how the Dublin city manager was able to ignore the democratic decision of the city council in Dublin with regard to the continuing waste of millions of euro on the Poolbeg incinerator. The privatisation of social housing provision continues apace and instead of a local authority building programme, which is urgently needed, we have millions of euro being poured into the pockets of landlords and developers for rent supplements and leases. The promise to cede greater democratic control to local communities, including over local economic development, is totally undermined. Perhaps the Labour Party could address that issue in the next week or two. The privatisation of local community development projects will arise from their being put to private tender.

We have not yet seen a climate change Bill, which is urgently required. I brought forward a Bill to the House last year which was opposed by the Government, despite setting clear targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We also set out clear five-year benchmarks to this end, but we have not seen action in that regard. The environment committee put together a very detailed report last year with Professor John Sweeney and although it was submitted to the Minister, it has not returned from the Department. We need that Bill now.

The programme for Government pledged to introduce a waiver scheme for low-income households, pensioners, etc., but we have not seen that despite asking in the House repeatedly about it. The Government must also revisit the building regulations issue, as new regulations took effect on 1 March on foot of a statutory instrument issued by the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan. It will penalise people both in rural and urban areas who are trying to build house extensions. There must be regulations in place but the Government seems to be confused between multi-unit developments, which require strict regulations, and the people carrying out self-build projects, which have generally been to a very high standard.

Unfortunately, there is much to be done, as many promises have not been kept. As the Government has gone in the wrong direction with some of its decisions, I ask the Minister of State to relay to the Government that they should be revisited.

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