Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this opportunity to speak on the budget and the measures that were passed and discussed in the House last week. I will focus on a few key areas, in particular, highlighting areas of opportunity that I believe have been missed in the different Departments.

In regard to infrastructure expenditure the budget has been disappointing. Given that the capital borrowing is at such low interest rates, nearly in the negative, we missed opportunities where we could have included more in the capital programme to improve services nationally. For example, in public transport, under the NTA there has been good work done over many years and we need to do more to improve the public transport services, both rail and bus. This was an opportunity where we should have invested further in this area to improve the public transport links, from the capital out and inter-county. With interest rates for borrowing at such a low level, we should be considering the opportunity to invest further in significant infrastructure so that the country can develop further in the future and take advantage of the financial circumstances under the capital borrowing project.

On the road network, we need to build and do further work. We have an extensive network of motorway and dual-carriage, but there are parts of the country, for example, the N3, N4 and N5, that need to be expanded and further developed to bring them up to a proper standard. There are three reasons for this. First, we need to use them as an opportunity to attract more foreign direct investment and provide more opportunities for that in different parts of the country. Second, we need to support the industry and services that are there already. Third, tourism, which is a significant industry in this country, is doing exceptionally well. Ireland is well promoted. Fáilte Ireland and all of the different local authorities are playing a positive role in that regard, but Fáilte Ireland needs a way of encouraging visitors when they come here to move around with ease.

In my constituency of Kildare North - to be parochial when I have this opportunity in the House - Celbridge is one of the largest towns in the area with a population of just under 22,000. It has a deficit in that it needs a new bridge, the absence of which is stopping the town from developing to its true potential. Clane and Maynooth need ring roads so that they can continue their development and for the towns to progress. Then we need further park and ride facilities, tied in with the public transport element, so that those towns can develop and flourish further. Those services and infrastructure improvements can be delivered by capital investment and it is something we need to look at further in this House in the time ahead.

The programme for broadband roll-out, particularly into rural areas effectively now has a time deadline of 2021 for completion. In north west Kildare in my constituency, broadband virtually does not exist. This does not help new businesses set up and those, particularly students, who want to work from home. Where one needs to access that service in the home, it does not exist. While there is a plan, we need to fast-track to improve the delivery of the broadband service into rural areas nationally.

In health, I welcome the provision of €15 million for the National Treatment Purchase Fund. Hopefully, it will deal with some of the waiting lists for surgical procedures where in some areas there is more than a two-year waiting list. When the fund worked at its optimum when Fianna Fáil was in Government, it was probably being given an investment of €50 million. Perhaps there an opportunity to look at further investment in that programme to help alleviate the waiting lists. Then we need to look at a further investment and a strategy plan so that we can put the infrastructure and supports in place to allow the front-line services deal with the issues in the health service, especially surgical operations, so that those waiting lists do not increase again.

We need to look at the medical cards for all. There is an issue here, particularly for those with disabilities, that needs to be addressed. The extra funding in the disability area is an improvement. It is moving in a positive direction but it is important that such funding is targeted in the right areas, for example, in the assessment of needs, in the programmes following out from the assessment of need and also to ensure that the correct services are in place, which does not happen at present where there is a deficit in that area. Funding is important, but we need to ensure that the funding goes into the right areas and that people are held responsible and accountable for it, including the delivery of the services, which are inadequate at present.

The €5 a week increase for the old age pension is positive and moving in the right direction but we need to ensure it does not have an impact on the means test, particularly for the medical card. I hope the Department will adjust the pension means test threshold to take that into account because otherwise it will have a negative effect.

It was disappointing to see no increase in child benefit. I raised in the House with the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, the idea of extending the child benefit to all in full-time secondary education. He gave a positive indication that he would look at it. That is the most expensive year for families in second level education. I was disappointed not to see that included in some measure. Even if it had to be included on a phased basis by way of means, it would have assisted some struggling families right away. There was no increase in child benefit across any sector and that was disappointing.

Motor insurance, as the House will be aware, is a significant issue at present. We spoke about it at length in this House. The reduction in the USC, while positive, is of no relevance when it is being consumed by the considerable increases in motor insurance. The Minister is bringing forward measures next month. It is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.

The treatment of the self-employed is going in the right direction also, but we need to do more to allow them to access the social welfare benefits if they are out sick or if they are unemployed. That is an issue for the self-employed, who are contributing to the Exchequer and at present see that they get little in return.

The food sector is an important part of the economy. In light of the UK vote to exit the EU, I would like to see the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation put in place a fund to help Irish companies grow their exports and promote themselves better abroad and become less reliant on the UK market. We have an excellent product and it is most important that we support Irish companies to promote and market that abroad.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on the budget. I will hand over to Deputy Jack Chambers.

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