Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Harty for sharing time. With regard to agriculture, I welcome the €25 million for sheep. On the loans scheme for farmers, the detail has not been given out yet but I hope the scheme, which offers loans at 2.9%, will last long enough and that it is not just a short-term scheme. GLAS was opened a good while ago and the money is already there for it. With regard to beef genomics, there does not seem to be any detail. However, the scheme is open at the moment and the Minister needs to move on this rapidly on behalf of farmers throughout the country.

While I do not have the detail yet, it would be disappointing if the fair deal scheme has not been addressed by the Government. Every Deputy who was in the talks, across the board, raised the way it is crippling farming communities throughout the country. It would be very disappointing if this is not done. I note there is nothing about the forgotten farmer but maybe that has to come under CAP. However, I would remind the Government it has to think of that issue. With regard to Leader and the rural development plan, it has been said that money has been added. However, the reality is that from 2015 until now, money has not been given out under this heading. Indeed, some counties have problems because it will be well into next year before they get any money.

With regard to education, I welcome the fact we are getting more teachers but the reality is there are more students, so the pupil-teacher ratio is not changing. In two-teacher, three-teacher and four-teacher rural schools, to which the previous speaker referred, the number required should have been dropped for these schools in order to keep them viable. There is also the question of capitation, given that schools are basically on their knees.

With regard to transport, this budget has been a non-event. This is the third budget in the two years I have been in the Dáil and I have seen the Tuam-Gort motorway listed on the Government budget for the third time this year. The road is nearly finished and the drivers of diggers are ringing us, wondering where the new work is, yet still it comes out in the budget that this project is to be announced again this year. It is the same with Enniscorthy or any other project, and it is sad the N5 and N4 projects are not included. Basically, the Luas, the metro and infrastructure around Dublin is getting the go-ahead whereas the rest of the country is being left behind, which is sad to see.

Sports grants for this year are 17% less at a time when we are talking about a sugar tax and helping our youth become more agile. Communities are trying to develop sports fields and do good things, but the sports grants have been cut, which is a sad reflection on the State.

The budget for flooding is the same. I see two parts of Ireland named in the budget, and they were named last year and also named a few months ago. Sadly, the River Shannon, turloughs like Lough Funshinagh and the area around Crossmolina, as well as different parts of Roscommon, Galway and other counties that were flooded are not being addressed. It is sad to see this in regard to transport issues. If there is extra funding for local roads, I welcome it, but the reality is that every county council needs at least €1 million for its roads programme.

We can throw money at the health system as long as we like but, at the end of the day, it is like a toothache in that, if someone keeps getting a toothache, they have to pull out the tooth. Until we address the situation in health, we can throw as much money as we want at it. There are people in a desperate state but there is mismanagement of money. We are hitting the history books by putting more money into this area than ever before, but it will not solve the problem. As Deputy Harty said, until we opt for primary care and look at ways of helping people in local communities, we are not going to resolve this issue. This evening there was chaos in Galway hospital due to the number of people on trolleys. We can throw more money at it next year but until someone goes in and takes the bull by the horns, we will not solve the health situation.

With regard to child care, we welcome anything that will help working parents or any other parents. However, to be honest, the detail is not available and it is very hard to comment. It is to be introduced next September so another budget will nearly be gone by that time.

With regard to housing, I welcome the tax rebate for working people. Will that apply to one-off housing in the countryside?

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