Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

Tapaím an deis seo labhairt ar son na cáinaisnéise agus na sonraí atá leagtha síos mar chuid di. Ar an mórchuid, ceann de na teachtaireachtaí is mó a thugann an cháinaisnéis seo ná go bhfuil infheistíocht láidir á déanamh againn inár seirbhísí poiblí, ag cur le daonra atá ag fás ach ag déileáil le go leor de na gnéithe agus na fadhbanna sóisialta atá le feiceáil i sochaí an lae inniu.

I thank the House for the opportunity to speak on this week's budget announced by the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Chambers. I want to speak first about allocations to the transport sector, given my role as Fianna Fáil spokesperson on transport. Almost €5 billion has been allocated to the sector in its entirety. Some things that stand out to me for their importance to the broader economy are the roll-out of DART+ West and DART+ South West, and the BusConnects programme in Dublin and across the country. One important thing which has not had attention drawn to it this week is the increase in the public service obligation, PSO, funding to almost €1 billion. That 35% increase will ensure increased connectivity for towns and cities up and down the country, not just in Dublin. It is important to call that out, as well as the significant once-in-a-generation investment in the MetroLink project.

With regard to the tax changes announced, it is important to highlight and support those regarding dereliction. The role of the Revenue Commissioners will be pivotal to ensuring that is effective in dealing with dereliction in our towns and cities and bringing properties back into use, as well as the extension of the living city initiative.

I also welcome the increase in the research and development tax credit. It is an important signal to send to the global community and entrepreneurial community that Ireland is open for business, welcomes research, celebrates innovation and positions itself centrally as a knowledge-based economy that wants to be at the forefront of knowledge and innovation revolutions.

Turning to cúrsaí oideachais, one of the things I most welcome is the increase of €50 in capitation for primary students. We have been made aware in the House of a number of challenges facing primary schools with regard to funding and this capitation increase is a huge step forward in addressing those funding challenges. I look forward to further progress on reducing class sizes, as promised in the programme for Government. I welcome the similar increase in capitation for post-primary schools, the announcement of over 1,700 SNAs to support students in schools across the education system and 1,000 additional teachers, 800 of whom will be specifically focused on special educational needs.

An initiative I was pleased to see announced, and funding provided for, was DEIS Plus. I and colleagues in the House advocated before the general election and since then for a focus on areas of very difficult disadvantage and to ensure schools, often centrepieces of communities in areas like that, are supported and focused on.

With regard to mental health, I welcome the work of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, in bringing forward the talking therapies fund, which will streamline the provision of community therapy services across the country. I recently joined the board of Beacon of Light Counselling Centre in Clondalkin, which provides this exact community therapy service. It is a world-class example and is a vital service in the community. The fund will be pivotal to ensuring those services continue.

I dtaobh chúrsaí Gaeilge, cuirim an-fháilte roimh an €5 milliún atá á thabhairt do TG4, ag tabhairt aitheantais don chraoltóireacht ardchaighdeáin atá á cur ar fáil ag TG4 agus é sin aitheanta ag an Rialtas leis an dáileadh breise sin. In éineacht leis sin, tá maoiniú breise á chur ar fáil do scéimeanna agus do thograí i leith na Gaeltachta, ar nós pleanáil teanga, tacaíocht don teanga agus tacaíocht don Ghaeltacht.

I look forward to the opening of the community sports facilities scheme next year. It provides crucial capital funding for sports facilities up and down the country.

On the movement being made on childcare, it is important to note that 35,000 additional places will be funded and the extension of the building blocks grant scheme will put provide 2,300 physical places in buildings across the country.

I welcome the targeted social protection measures, particularly the focus on child poverty, which goes far beyond any measures introduced in recent years. There is an opportunity to look in the coming three to four years at how we encourage and incentivise houses without earners, through provision of childcare, training and support, to go into work.

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