Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to examine the programme for Government that has been adopted by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the non-party Members of this House. Over the past five years we have seen an unprecedented level of geopolitical upheaval and challenges to the norms that were established after the Second World War. These challenges and their impact, combined with the Covid-19 pandemic, have tested our social and economic models. The previous Government provided strong, calm leadership which ensured that Ireland rode out the worst of these challenges and, in many cases, outperformed other countries.

As we have seen in recent weeks, challenges brought about by uncertainty and unexpected events have not passed. The new Government has its work cut out for it. The programme for Government will provide an ambitious framework for the next five years, but it will also facilitate the flexibility needed in uncertain times. At the core of the programme is massive investment in infrastructure, particularly housing, but also critical areas such as transport, schools and utilities. If one were to reflect on the achievements of the previous Government, one could see that strong progress was made on housing, education, health services and continued management of the economy. However, progress in areas such as public transport, energy security, roads and other infrastructure, left much to be desired. There must now be massive investment in public transport and roads. We need to see urgent progress on the roll-out of the light rail, investment in DART capacity, and the continued roll out of reliable, safe and affordable bus services here in the capital. In this regard, I was delighted to see the Fianna Fáil commitment to establish a dedicated transport police unit included in the programme for Government. As Dublin spokesperson for Fianna Fáil, I have, along with my colleagues here, been campaigning for this for many years.

We saw during Storm Éowyn that our energy infrastructure, in terms of its resilience, has not been maintained and kept up to date. This must change. There needs to be investment in energy infrastructure, with the grid being upgraded and progress made on offshore wind generation, particularly off the west coast. Energy security is also an issue that needs to be prioritised, with alternative supplies being made available to ensure redundant energy generating capacity in the event of a crisis.

Turning to my constituency of Dún Laoghaire, I would like to see further investment in important, large projects such as the extension of the Luas green line to Bray, the next phase of the national rehabilitation hospital and a new Garda station for Cherrywood. I would also like to see progress on smaller projects which make a big difference, such as the expansion of the disability respite services, further national funding for sports clubs and community organisations. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown has one of the highest levels of residential construction in the State and services must follow suit. I will be working closely with the new Ministers to deliver progress on education and childcare facilities, particularly the various school building projects being planned and those under way.

It is worth underlining that progress and investment are underpinned by our successful economic model, which has served us well and which, if not derailed, will continue to do so. Under the leadership of our Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, and with the support of Members across the House, I am confident that we can work with our partners in Europe and further afield to ride out prospective challenges and protect our shared future.

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