Dáil debates

Thursday, 23 June 2016

Summer Economic Statement 2016: Statements (Resumed)

 

3:55 pm

Photo of Mick WallaceMick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

According to one of the early lines in the Government’s document, “Economic recovery is now firmly established” but I do not think anyone who had to knock on doors a few months ago could be under any illusion that the majority of the people feel this economic recovery. I happen to live in one of the more deprived counties in Ireland, Wexford, and at that time, there was 23% unemployment which is very frightening given that the State boasts in the region of 8% nationally. If we are to talk about economic recovery, we need to talk about it for the people of Ireland. If so many of the people are not feeling the economic recovery, are we reading it wrong? How are we looking at it?

In Dublin, everything is far more rosy generally speaking for business than in the countryside but rent must be very challenging for people. It has become very difficult to make those ends meet. Many of the good jobs lost in recent years have been replaced by yellow pack jobs. There has been a dumbing down of well-paid jobs, working conditions and job security. We understand that has not only happened here. People are striking on the streets of France every day over similar issues. The French Government is trying to change labour laws, which diminish the rights of workers in different ways. There are just over 100,000 people on the housing list. Maybe the Government is going to tackle this in some positive way and will take on board some of the measures of the Committee on Housing and Homelessness which, while it did not deliver everything that it could, delivered some things and it would be good if the Government took them on board.

We are being told that 11% of the children of Ireland live in poverty. Surely one of the top priorities and challenges of the Government is to do something really strong about that. The Euro Health Consumer Index found that in early 2016, Ireland had the longest hospital waiting times in Europe. Children with special needs face a yearly lotto which determines their access to special needs assistants, SNAs, in schools. These are issues we have raised many times over the past few years. Figures released under freedom of information show that 20,000 children are on hospital waiting lists, with some waiting up to four years to see a specialist. It is little wonder that the Euro Health Consumer Index is a bit concerned.

I have listened to some of the debate today and there seems to be a general recognition that our expenditure on infrastructure is not good enough and will not be good enough given the projections that exist. It seems to be almost a game to see how economic figures can be played with. Unless everyone here is getting it wrong, it looks as if our investment in infrastructure will be a major challenge in the years ahead. Will the Government address that or will it just toddle along and hope that everything will work out all right? Our lack of investment in infrastructure is glaring and is a huge problem for the State. Has any thought been put into making an independent assessment of our long-term infrastructural needs? Has one ever been carried out? It would be very interesting. There is much to be learned in this area and it looks as if there are serious problems coming down the tracks if we are not to change direction.

I am sorry I have so little time.

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