Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is the fourth budget this Dáil will pass, which is a fairly remarkable achievement when one considers the Government has only 57 seats in Dáil Éireann. I was party to the confidence and supply talks that took place in Trinity College three and a half years ago. The Tánaiste was at the other side of the table. I have to say that if somebody had suggested then that a fourth budget would get through I do not think the people in the room would have believed it. In fact, most people assumed the Government would be lucky to last a year or a year and a half.

The confidence and supply agreement was only for the purpose of facilitating three budgets. We have fulfilled our part of the agreement in achieving this and we got many benefits for the Irish people in return. The reason there has been agreement on the fourth budget is because of circumstances outside of the control of the House and any party in the House. I refer specifically to Brexit.

If we had a general election at this time, or at the time of the Brexit soap opera across the water, we would be rightly criticised by the Irish public for engaging in an act of extreme recklessness and stupidity. One of the benefits we as a country have in trying to deal with the extraordinary issue of Brexit is that when our European friends and partners, as the Prime Minister of the UK repeatedly refers to them, look at this country, they see a stable political environment. They see political leadership. They see agreement among all Irish political parties that significant challenges face the country from Brexit, which can only be dealt with through political negotiation and political agreement. The fact we have political leadership in the House and that it applies throughout the House has been to the benefit of the country. It is in marked contrast to the absence of political leadership in the United Kingdom.

The fact we are able to get a budget through for the fourth time when the Government has only 57 seats shows that a minority Government can achieve results and can have successes. One of the constant criticisms in Westminster is that it is impossible for the British Government to achieve anything because it does not have a majority. Results can be achieved in politics without a majority but people must be prepared to compromise and recognise that getting everything they want is unachievable. The fact that Brexit still has not been resolved means the budget had to be agreed . It is a budget that had to have Brexit at the forefront, which the Government did. Without Brexit there really is very little in the budget. In due course I will speak about the justice Vote and the increases in respect of it.

We need to recognise that, unfortunately, the issue of Brexit has damaged the relationship between this country and the United Kingdom. It is the case that our history is dominated to a large extent by the relationship the island has had with our neighbouring island. This is not so much the case for the relationships the island of Britain has with other parts of Europe to the east of it. They have probably been more consequential than the relationship it has had with this island. We have had a long and difficult historic relationship. Fortunately, in recent years we have had a blossoming relationship. We have been able to get on extremely well. The blossoming of this relationship reached its apotheosis when we got the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. It showed that two sensible political systems could come together and reach agreement on what is and was a highly contentious issue. In the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement relations improved and increased dramatically.

Part of the reason we have such a good relationship with the United Kingdom is because we were very allied with it on European matters. I am sure Ministers who have been able to liaise with their UK colleagues in Council meetings would confirm this. I am sure the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, is aware that in the area of justice, among the parties with whom he would feel most aligned at European Council meetings are the Ministers from the United Kingdom. It is extremely upsetting that in the recent past, this excellent relationship has been damaged by Brexit. We need to recognise we will get through this issue and that we will then have to work further on the nature of the relationship we have with the United Kingdom to make sure it is fully improved.

Part of the reason we are in this situation, whereby we have this difficult relationship, is that the United Kingdom leaving the customs union and the Single Market is incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement. I recall the referendum, when it was never suggested the United Kingdom would leave the Single Market and customs union. Discussion on Northern Ireland was at a minimum when it came to the debate as to whether Britain would leave the European Union. It may have been the case that people did not realise the consequences of Brexit but once it was announced there would be a departure of the United Kingdom from the customs union and the Single Market, it was inevitable there would be difficulties in respect of this island. Some people in the United Kingdom do not understand that if it is out of the customs union, there inevitably will have to be checks on the island of Ireland. The approach adopted by the Government, which is supported by all Members of the House, is the correct approach. Let us not put this matter off to be resolved at the end of the trading agreement. If it is left off at that stage we will not be able to protect the Good Friday Agreement and the ability of people on this island to travel to and fro between the two jurisdictions on the island.

None of us is a fortune teller who can predict what will happen in the United Kingdom and how this matter will be resolved. Ultimately, it can be said that the only way we will get an end in sight to the issue is if there is a decisive electoral event in the United Kingdom, whether that be a general election or a second referendum. If there is a decisive electoral event, there can be clear movement for United Kingdom to leave in the way it wishes, and at present it seems to wish to leave with no deal, which would have dire consequences, or, alternatively, it may seek to stay.

I will now speak about the specifics of the budget. I welcome its provisions in respect of the justice Vote. As the Minister has stated, the justice Vote will increase to €2.98 billion which is, in effect, almost €3 billion. This is an increase of 4.7%. The Minister quietly and without much publicity managed to get a good increase in the amount of money available. I welcome that there will be 700 new Garda recruits under budget 2020. In the confidence and supply agreement, Fianna Fáil got the Government to agreed to recruit 800 new gardaí each year. We got this for the first three years. It is now down to 700 but in the circumstances of what has happened, it is a good result.

The Vote recognises funding still will be available for the Policing Authority. I may have a different view to the Minister for Justice and Equality on the future of the Policing Authority. The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland recommended it be got rid of and replaced with a different board. This would be short-sighted as the Policing Authority has been a success. In fairness to the Government, it introduced the Policing Authority in 2015. We need to be very careful about getting rid of it and going back to the drawing board and starting up an internal Garda body that will be responsible for Garda oversight and improvement. If it is the case the Policing Authority will remain in place in the next year, I welcome it.

I also note an increase in funding for the Courts Service and the Prison Service. It is important that we devote the money allocated for the Judicial Council. For far too long, the people of Ireland have been waiting for a judicial council. They may not understand what it provides for but if we tell them it is a mechanism whereby they can make a complaint about the behaviour of a judge, they will be surprised the provision is not already in statute.

I welcome that it is there. I also welcome the other provisions in respect of the new forensic science laboratory. Things move very slowly in Ireland but we really need to get that new forensic science laboratory operational as quickly as possible. I ask the Government to prioritise it and ensure it is done. One of the legitimate criticisms of the Government is that it is very good at making announcements but it lacks action in delivery. We need to see delivery.

I have spoken for ten minutes and I will hand over to my tánaiste, Deputy Calleary.

See this speech in context