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

I welcome the opportunity to come back on more parts of the budget. Obviously, budgets for infrastructure are welcome. I have touched previously on the fact that Irish Water let 350 workers and subcontractors go because there was no work going on around the country. If we are talking about building houses, obviously, we have to make sure we have the infrastructure in place. Roads, sewers, water and electricity are ferociously important. The land management agency funding for affordable housing is welcome. However, we must make sure that is spent wisely because we cannot go down the road of houses that cost an arm and a leg. Basically, there is no record kept and no proper accountability. I do not know what is going on. There is not any accountability whatsoever in the line of pricing. When only one person is allowed to put in a figure for the modular homes, where are we going?

There are a few issues regarding agriculture, one of which is the €7 million budget for fishing. It is incredible that this is all the Government thinks fishing is worth on a day when we have billions of euro to go around the place. I have a question for the Minister of State. The dairy beef scheme has received an increase, but what is there for the person who buys the calf? There is money.

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