Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Were I a cynic, I would call it an attempt by the Government parties to buy the silence of the Houses. It is urgent that we reconvene the committee, given the issue with sections 38 and 39 and how groups are funded. Under one section, community groups have their deficits met by the State whereas others must roll their deficits into their borrowings. A line has been trotted out since my time as a backbencher, namely, that major savings are to be made. I have examined how some of the groups are funded and managed. I speak in particular of St. Joseph's Foundation in Charleville, County Cork, which is doing extraordinary work for the communities it serves in five constituencies - Cork North-West, Cork East, both Limerick constituencies and part of Kerry North-Limerick West. That is a huge area. I have met the families, staff and service users. Since 1997, I have watched closely how its services to families have increased. Now, I see its difficulties in reducing those services.

The one suggestion I will not accept at any level is that there is extra fat that can be cut from these voluntary groups, which were predominantly set up in the late 1960s and early 1970s, to ensure funding is provided to the disability sector. People have been running these organisations on shoe-strings and they stretch any State funding they receive as far as they can. They want to get the best value for money out of it. It is unbecoming of any Deputy to insinuate that some of that money is not going to the disability sector. Dr. Martin O'Donnell, whose son, Kieran, is a Deputy, was a visionary in how he established St. Joseph's Foundation. Mr. Eamon McCarthy, Mr. Conor Counihan and its managers are doing a great amount of work.

We must be honest with ourselves as a society, in that some of these groups are being treated differently. Depending on whether they are dealt with under section 38 or section 39, they either have their deficits written off or more pressure is piled on them. Even groups in the latter category are being treated unfairly, in that, instead of rolling over their deficits, they are having them written off by the HSE depending on the parts of the country from which they come and the clout of the political representations being made on their behalf. It is high time that we address this issue. These people are doing work that is invaluable to society and families.

One of the greatest divides in rural communities relates to broadband. I debated this matter with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy White, yesterday. We discussed it when this year's Estimates were before the Oireachtas committee. We also discussed it last year. Before the European and local elections, there was considerable fanfare when the then Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, announced a new national broadband scheme. It was to be the country's salvation. That was last April. What the Government forgot to tell us was that it would have to apply to the EU for state aid approval so that the State would not be in contravention of the rules. That application has not yet been sent to the EU and is unlikely to be until late this year. No doubt there will be fanfare about it ahead of the election. It will be at least a year and a half before the application is approved. The Minister stated that the Department was making progress reports once per month. Whatever about those, various maps have been published claiming that there will be broadband in 2015, 2016 and 2017. This is a fundamental issue. Next week will see the launch of a huge initiative by Vodafone and the ESB. I welcomed and supported the legislation when it was before the Dáil. We must ensure that a fibre optic cable is laid to every community. Everyone, be he or she in urban or rural Ireland, is dependent on the Internet and telecommunications. It was the same with the ESB in the 1950s and telecomms in the late 1970s and early 1980s. We have all heard the stories about general practitioners, GPs, needing to travel two or three miles to send e-mails. This is no longer acceptable. We must accept that a fibre optic cable is the only option. We should not mess around by wasting money on other initiatives. It is not possible.

It is high time that we consider another communications issue, namely, the licence fee. The broadcasting charge has been shelved by the Government. Before Christmas, I told the Minister that it looked like a document that would be shelved. How is the fee being spent and are we getting the best value for money? Is the House getting fair and balanced coverage by the national broadcaster? This is a major issue that we must consider.

Much has been said recently about agriculture and how well that industry is doing. In July 2010, Deputy Smith published the Food Harvest 2020 document, which remains the blueprint for agriculture. Some Deputies might claim that agriculture was never important during the Celtic tiger era and was ignored by successive governments, but that was clearly not the case. I remember how, when returning to government in 1997, we tried to sort out the BSE crisis. Major initiatives on fundamental questions were taken by the then Minister, the late Mr. Joe Walsh. Remember foot and mouth disease in spring 2001 when the Government and the entire nation rowed in to ensure that our agriculture industry was protected. It was and remains a large industry. Major supports were provided. There were also payments under REPS 1 to 4, inclusive, and other initiatives. In 2004 and 2005, we switched to the single farm payment from coupled payments. Significant work was done in this regard.

We must acknowledge the great deal of work that farmers have done at the farm gate. We have one of the best products in the world. Consider the percentage of the world's infant formula that originates in Ireland. Consider the beef industry and the expansion in the dairy industry.

All of that was achieved because primary producers have worked extremely hard in the past 25 or 30 years. Regulation after regulation has been piled upon them by Government and by the European Commission, but they ponied up and met their compliance obligations. They were confident that if they produced a quality product, there would be a market for it. There is a market for it and they have produced the products. When we talk about the exciting opportunities arising for the food industry, we should not forget the farmer. Let us not forget there has been a huge change in the cost base for the primary producer in recent years.

In regard to the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, there is an issue in regard to the mechanisms that are there to apply for the scheme. For example, the online application process provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine does not accept applications where there are two names under the one herd number. In the case of a husband and wife or two brothers, for instance, there is no mechanism to apply where both come under the same number. With only two weeks to go until the closing date for applications, it is not acceptable that this should be the case. I have contacted the Minister's office and the Department to discuss the problem, but nothing has happened as yet. In one of the towns I represent, nearly 80 people are in this category. It is simply unacceptable.

I could talk at length about the range of concerns among the farming community, particularly the lack of availability of credit to farmers and the persecution of people who have gone into arrears on loans. I deal with the banks on a daily basis to try to resolve those issues on behalf of constituents. The Revenue Commissioners, likewise, have been pursuing people for relatively small debts. People find themselves unable to make loan repayments or facing a debt to Revenue for a variety of reasons, including difficult family circumstances, unexpected health issues and so on. Forbearance should be forthcoming from Revenue just as it should be forthcoming from the banks.

In regard to education, reference was made to initiatives in respect of the pupil-teacher ratio and the maintenance of small rural schools. As a society, we should be examining how we can enhance the quality of life for rural communities rather than the current policy of pumping people into the large urban centres, which will have a detrimental effect on society into the future.

I understand a deputation from the northern division of Cork County Council is meeting with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport this afternoon to discuss the status of the proposed upgrade of the N20 from Mallow and Charleville. That project is hugely important for the development of the north Cork region but the indications are that it has been completely shelved. In addition, the delay in bypassing Macroom is choking the town. Several Members have tabled parliamentary questions to the Minister asking why these straightforward development initiatives have not been progressed, but we have had no clear answer.

The Dáil has been adjourned in all but name for three days to allow the Government to indulge in the self-congratulatory exercise that is this debate on its spring economic statement. Not even in its heyday would my party in government have contemplated such a thing. There is a great deal of real and important business from every Department to be discussed on the floor of this Chamber and in the committees, but debate has been stifled or the legislation delayed. It is sickening in the extreme to have so much time allocated this week to discuss the spring statement. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, spoke yesterday about the importance of having a fair society. The lines being trotted out by this Government do not reflect an intention to secure such a society. All we have had are regressive budgets and a determination to look after the wealthiest. To use an old mantra, this Government has been almost Thatcherite in the decisions it has taken.

We must examine our priorities in terms of how we are spending money. I referred at the start of my contribution to the disability sector. We will be judged as a society on how we look after these most vulnerable of people. The notion that a Minister can come in here and talk about examining funding structures and getting rid of duplication in service provision is sickening. There is no duplication. Disability groups are working flat out with the miserable amounts of money they are getting from the State to ensure they are providing an adequate service to the people who need it. These groups are building up deficits and are not being treated fairly or equitably. Different things are being done in different parts of the country depending on the degree of political clout that is in play. The Government will be judged very harshly for how it is dealing with this issue.

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