Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. First, I will speak about a situation that is pertinent to what we are talking about and has arisen in my town, Tuam. The Pieta service has operated there for the past ten years in a purpose built unit, but due to a lack of funding it is now pulling out of its facility that was purpose built with the sweat and tears of local people. The problem is that Pieta has a shortfall of money. It has had a continuous shortfall of money. I know money has been given to mental health services and so many billions of euro are going into it. Will the Government look at this urgently? Pieta is not being funded properly.

A regressive decision is being made to remove not only services, but staff, who are the key component in making people who need these mental health services more comfortable in a discreet location. I ask the Minister of State to bring this major issue to the Taoiseach’s attention. It is the wrong decision. At a time when the country is floating in money and the Government has a great deal in its coffers, just a small amount would keep a proper service for the entire region in place in Tuam, where it has been located successfully for the past ten years. This issue pertains to the Finance Bill, given that we must decide on how to use the money we are about to vote through.

I wish to raise three other issues, beginning with the housing adaptation grants for older people that are administered by county councils. A decision has been made to increase the income thresholds and level of funding in quarter 1 of 2025. I ask that a date for this be set, as people are in a state of flux over whether they should apply. In my book, the change should come into play on 1 January so that people can avail of these grants from the Department of housing.

The good measures contained in the budget have been mentioned, but I wish to ask the Government to consider its investment in transport, particularly in the west and the other regions. I will make some comments in this regard.

First, the all-island rail view has been completed and identifies the western rail corridor as a project that can be pursued quickly. With a small input of money right now, we could see that project up and running within the next two and a half years. The line from Limerick to Foynes will be open for use in time for the golfing competition in the area. The Government made a decision on that, so I would like to see it making many more brave decisions like that for the west.

Second, the N84 from Galway to Headford and on to Castlebar is a nightmarish death trap. Funnily enough, though, it is not included in the plans of either TII or the NTA. I would like this road to be considered as a priority. I will not apologise for discussing these local projects.

Third, the other matter I spoke to the Minister for Finance about concerned the VAT 71 refund scheme in respect of coaches. There is an anomaly. If someone buys a coach for touring, he or she can claim VAT back on it, but if the coach is used to transport people to and from work or wherever, he or she cannot claim VAT back. Tour operators do not operate all year around. Indeed, they cannot work in the other field because they are claiming VAT back. I have raised this anomaly with the Minister for Finance and would like to see it addressed. If we want to get our public transport right, including buses, then it is important that we provide everyone with a level playing field. We can hide behind rules and regulations from Europe, but if we can provide a refund to one group of coach operators, then we can provide it to all coach operator groups. Many of these businesses are small, family-run organisations.

I wish to discuss the zoned land tax. It is important that we give local authorities a clear direction on how to deal with land that is being functionally farmed. This issue has been ongoing for two years. I first raised it with the then Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, who agreed with me that it was not right to leave such land within the tax’s scope. How in the name of God can we zone lands when we know well that they are being used for other purposes and then threaten people that they must pay tax on those lands because they have been zoned?

We have to examine the regional spread of our spending. We are not spending enough in the regions. The Northern and Western Regional Assembly’s area has been designated a lagging region, that is, a region in decline, for the simple reason that the spend per capitais nowhere near the spend seen elsewhere in the country.

I have touched on a number of subjects. I could spend hours talking about them, but I ask the Minister of State to take on board the points I have raised.

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