Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Alas, this may be the budget that draws a line in the sand and brings the Government to an end.

Fianna Fáil facilitated the operation of this Government for four budgets now. This was through the confidence and supply arrangement which many grassroot supporters found hard to stomach but I acknowledged the responsible role my party leader Deputy Micheál Martin took. This budget had a bit of all things great and small, but not everyone was happy. This is understandable. As stated this budget was arrived at by providing safeguards in the event of a no-deal Brexit and was even headlined as such in the document.

If our Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, gets a universal agreement from Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister, and our counterparts in Europe, could we have changes in spending and perhaps a supplementary budget introduced?

Budget 2020, as well as being Brexit-proof, attempts to bring in measures to get us to play our part in climate change. A climate action programme is an urgent requirement as are some of the initiatives proposed, such as greater and faster conversion of our social housing stock to incorporate heat conservation measures and safeguards for workers who face career changes due to climate change. Economies, however, do not run alone on clean air. A transition period is needed to allow improvement in work practices. I say this when one references our agriculture and transport sectors. The carbon taxes proposed must give exemption from proposed increases in fuel taxes to hauliers.

The Government of 2011 had a productive agricultural sector as one of its forte sectors in returning the economy to recovery. I ask it not to throw it in front of the bus now. This budget is a lost opportunity for the beef sector the confidence of which has been undermined in the recent disputes at the factory gates of beef processors.

We hear of money being sent back by the Minister's, Deputy Creed’s, Department. How can this be the case when we have applicants for targeted agricultural modernisation schemes, TAMS, left waiting unnecessary periods for approval and in turn payment of their grant applications?

I am a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has received a whopping €2.7 billion, an increase of €384 million over 2019. That is fine. The money is supposedly in the bank, but yet we see on road construction that there is a standstill regarding some projects like the Dunkettle interchange and the Ardee by-pass to name but a few. What happens next? We see €240 million allocated to another project namely the Westport-Ballina dual-carriageway. I am in favour of opening up the western corridor but could we not progress at a faster pace the provision of the M20 motorway, Cork-Limerick via Mallow, Buttevant and Charleville? I acknowledge the announcement in the last few days of the Macroom by-pass in another sod-turning ceremony but we need to get more boots on the ground.

Given that I am the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on sport, I have to express my dismay that no overall increase in spending has been provided for. The projected spending of €125 million is the same as last year. Yet the Government does a robbing Peter to pay Paul exercise. That is, capital expenditure has been cut. So much for the commitment of the Minister, Deputy Ross, to a multi-annual sports capital spending programme. I welcome that Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics 2020 have been provided for. I also welcome that the national sports policy is further progressed with the provision of extra investment.

Tourism still plays an important role in generating extra economic activity. I welcome the additional Government funding in Budget 2020. Rural Ireland is forever more dependent, thus we must ensure that we get the same attention and promotion. I must highlight some of the attractions we have in north Cork outside of the Munster Vales initiative. I will name a few: Doneraile Court, Annesgrove Gardens, Kingston Square and Mallow Castle, all of which have benefitted from Government funding down through the years. Another attractive stately structure is Castlehyde House, the purchase of which I put before the Government. This leads me to Fermoy, a town situated on the River Blackwater, renowned for its angling richness, recreational activities and, of course, home to Fermoy Rowing Club. The River Blackwater, however, has a weir that day by day goes into further disrepair. Its structure is close to total collapse. It is fitting that the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, is here. Planning is currently being prepared by Cork County Council, but we are looking for a commitment from the Government for funding. I suggest that the Minister of State might bring back to his senior ministerial colleague, the Minister, Deputy Ring, that his Department of Rural and Community Development take up the matter under the urban rural regeneration fund which would be welcome.

Housing is an ongoing crisis and we need to expedite the construction of more houses. I note the Minister in his budgetary statement acknowledged that there has been a great reduction in the number of people working in the construction sector which must be a worry.

Health has also been covered in the budget which is also an ongoing crisis and our spokesperson, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, has given a good outline as to where issues can be resolved and addressed. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

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