Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important to reflect on the journey which has been made to date. We should do that because it will give us confidence in our ability to complete the journey and to realise the many dreams and hopes of the people of this country. It will also give us the confidence to deal with the fears that many people still have as a result of what happened in our economy. They also fear the further necessary changes in our economy. It will give us the confidence to deal with the risks and the worries people have in respect of their jobs, debts and an uncertain future.

When we came into office in 2011, we found ourselves with a worrying vista. Was there enough money to meet the wages of our public servants? We found ourselves with the risk of insufficient funding to keep our banking system open, never mind healthy. We were the second member of the eurozone to enter a bailout programme. The confidence of our country was wrecked. Faith in our future prospects and where we might end up was dim. We found ourselves each day with news headlines ringing out a new rhythm of rising bond yields, rising unemployment and a diminishing faith about where our country could end up. There was also the risk that as bad as things were, they could get worse. At that point, bond yields had peaked at almost 15%. This rate was the same rate of unemployment, which was increasing monthly. Irish people, young and old, single and in families, were leaving our country in their droves.

Yesterday the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, outlined the prospect of creating a country to which our people will return. There was an acknowledgment that we are now seeing the early signs of net inward migration. Our public finances, which peaked at a deficit of over 30%, are under control, with a budget deficit of below 3% this year. Our country is starting to pay its way again. I was struck by what the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform said yesterday when he said that the world does not owe Ireland a living. Thanks to the coming together of the sacrifices of the Irish people and the policies that have been implemented by our Government, we are in a position to ensure that our country is earning its way in the world. It is producing goods and services that other people want to buy. As a result, unemployment is at 10%. This is still far too high, but it is decreasing. The number of people on the live register is coming down month on month. The rate of unemployment is down by one third since we first published our Action Plan for Jobs.

The people who put our country on this path to recovery are the Irish people. These are the people we serve. It was a combination of this and the options that Government laid out before the people and went on to implement that put us on this path. Yesterday's spring statement outlined what recovery could look like, what can be achieved, and what could be put at risk if that recovery was challenged in any way by the choices which are to be made. We outlined that there is potential for €750 million to be invested. This would be used to try to increase the current rate of job creation. We will try to have affordable tax reductions which will not put the recovery we have seen at risk. The Minister for Finance outlined a plan, covering many years, to target tax reductions at people who need them most. Alongside that, the plan is to see our country make its way towards full employment by 2018.

My Department and the areas for which I am responsible can and will make a big contribution to these targets. Yesterday I announced that, after a very successful year in tourism in 2014, we have seen a very impressive start to tourism in our country this year. In the first three months of 2015, the overall number of trips to Ireland is up by more than 14% and stands at 1.5 million visits. The number of visits from North America and mainland Europe is up by almost 7% and 18% respectively with visits from the UK registering an increase of more than 14%. None of these visits happened by chance. They are a result of the innovation, positivity and dynamism of our tourism sector and policies implemented by the Government. These policies include the reduction in the airport travel tax, a lower VAT rate and other measures such as those outlined by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, including a new visa programme to target tourists from particular regions and countries. All of this was supported by programmes which the Government has put in place through bodies such as Fáilte Ireland, whose programmes include The Gathering, the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East.

I was particularly struck by a point the Minister for Finance made yesterday about Ireland emerging from a lost decade. During this lost decade our economy and society have struggled desperately. We owe it to everyone to make sure those kind of mistakes are not repeated. One of the ways in which we are going to do this is by investing in our roads, public transport and other infrastructure. We will invest in the future. We will pay for what we need now and for what a growing economy will need.

Looking to the changes in my Department, Exchequer capital investment in land transport fell from a peak of more than €3 billion in 2008 to a current historic low of €850 million per year. This is just more than 0.5% of gross domestic product. The framework outlined by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform identified the paths to rebuilding the level of investment to a sustainable place. This will mean putting in place measures and increasing capital investment to meet our road network and public transport needs. For the decade that lies ahead, this Government is committed to ensuring that spending on our transport infrastructure returns to sustainable levels. Congestion in our cities and bad road quality across our country will be dealt with and bottlenecks to growth will be removed. Yesterday's two announcements outlined how that will be delivered.

The people of Ireland want to see progress but they also want to ensure that the progress is not put at risk. Some have suggested that we will make the claim that there is no alternative. There is always an alternative. The question is whether the alternative is a good one. I ask the Members on the far side of the Chamber, and will be asking the people over the course of the coming year, to consider what are the alternatives. The Technical Group tabled a private Members' motion on finance which shows us what it has been considering. If implemented, its approach would have delivered additional spending of more than €4.4 billion per year and a marginal tax rate of 70% on earnings over €32,800. This measure was supported by Fianna Fáil.

I listened with great care to what Deputy Michael McGrath said yesterday. He stated repeatedly what it was he was against. I am still waiting to hear what it is Fianna Fáil favours. A rash of policy documents was produced over the past number of weeks by Fianna Fáil in the run up to its Ard-Fheis. The Government will be outlining its plans. The people need to hear what Fianna Fáil would do differently. How would Fianna Fáil ensure a repeat of the catastrophic mistakes over which it presided will not occur?

Month after month, we have heard Deputy Gerry Adams lecture the Government. Sinn Féin has told us we should emulate the Greek approach to the debt crisis. We see what happened there. Sinn Féin has been very silent in recent weeks on its Greek strategy. That is no wonder, because it would draw attention to the fact that Sinn Féin was looking to turn Ireland into the Greece of northern Europe.

It pointed again and again to and aligned itself with the approach being delivered by that country. That is not a point that it is making now. Ireland's people and communities, through their sacrifices and the policies we have implemented, have saved our country. We have outlined the policies for the next year and for the years to come to ensure that our country can move out of the dreadful years through which we have gone, build on the current recovery and seek to put in place the foundations for a secure and prosperous future.

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