Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There is also Stepaside, but we will return to that in the Committee of Public Accounts.

The provision of funding for public transport is paltry; it is ridiculous. I say that as a former Minister of State in the Department who had specific responsibility for public transport when we did not have a bob. We have been talking about the tax breaks that have been given and the few bob being given to those on low incomes, but the provision of transport services is a key issue for people. There is nothing in the current funding that is of real value in the context of improving those services. There is a sum of €9.6 million. The bus services across this country, particularly those in rural areas, have gone through awful turmoil in recent years. What provision is being made and where is the long-term, big-picture thinking in the area of rural transport, its integration, Bus Éireann services and ensuring there is a map of bus services in this country to meet people's requirements? There is no provision in the budget to address that, which means people in rural areas will suffer exponentially again. The provision for cycling is not up to scratch either.

I concur with our spokesperson on finance regarding the provision in the budget for the Department of Rural and Community Development. I am aware of all the programmes in the new Department. I was responsible for them for a number of years when I was served as Minister. There is a sum of €19 million extra. There was a massive launch about a year ago of a big action plan for rural Ireland by the then Minister with responsibility for rural affairs. Will it take €19 million to implement it? It will not. It is farcical. To be fair, the Minister in that Department has a passion for rural Ireland, but he has not been given the funding to do anything about it. In fact, he has very little funding to do anything.

This Government is running away from climate change. In the context of the mitigation plans that must be introduced and the statements Ministers must, under the legislation - I know this because I introduced it - make in the Dáil, it is a laugh. There are no provisions in the budget relating to key areas where we must change our ways in respect of our carbon footprint and climate change, particularly with regard to serious issues in transport, agriculture and the built environment. The provisions simply are not there, so how can we meet our targets?

Finally, I have a question relating to the justice area which the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Doyle, might put to his colleagues. A sum of €63 million is provided for the justice Vote. I am a little bemused by this. Indeed, I am taken aback by what is being provided. As the Deputy for Templemore, I welcome the 800 new gardaí. I wish it was 1,000. I also welcome the extra number of civilians being taken on board. However, is there provision in the €63 million for a change in the overtime rate for An Garda Síochána? We support An Garda Síochána but it is my understanding that there was an agreement reached between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, and the Garda Representative Association, GRA, during the discussions last year to the effect that there would be a change in the overtime hours of An Garda Síochána from 41 to 39 in 2018. That is going through the Labour Court at present and is not being discussed much. Can the Minister of State find out where in the name of God that money will come from? We support it and we support the Garda, but from where will the money come?

We are talking about approximately €40 million if a change is made. I would like to know from where this money will come.

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