John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

If rural Ireland is to avail of the developments in the economy in terms of education, job creation or even getting from county to county, we need a proper, well-funded independent coach sector. I appeal to the Minister to consider that whatever reliefs are given to public services should also be given to private operators. I refer to under-nines travelling free of charge or any other schemes that are being availed of by the public providers. We should have the same for the private bus operators. That is an appeal on behalf of rural Ireland, connectivity and people simply getting about the country without a car, which is a target of the Government with a view to reducing the overall emissions.

I want to make a case for the SME sector, which has built up over 1 million jobs in the economy over the years. I am talking about family-owned businesses here. They are almost being penalised in terms of how they do business. We give them one thing in the budget to provide some sort of support, but then the commercial rates go up, the local property tax goes up and various other charges go up, making it impossible for them to keep their doors open. That is why we are seeing so many family businesses and SMEs closing. We recognise that they are making a contribution to communities, but we are not doing enough for them to keep their doors open. We need to reflect on that, even if it requires some form of in-depth analysis in order that we can target supports to the businesses that are in real trouble, which they are.

The budget will be analysed and people will make their own judgment on it. I look at the small things. The Minister, Deputy Browne, is present. I spoke to him about the adaptation grants. I recognise what is available for 2026, but I appeal to him again to make sure that local authorities like Kilkenny County Council have sufficient funds to cover their applications between now and the end of this year. It is absolutely critical for people to be cared for at home by their families to have the support of an extension or various other types of assistance that they can get by way of these adaptation grants.

The banks should have been taxed. They are making obscene profits. They are well past the difficulties they had from 2008 onwards, and they should be charged a hell of a lot more in terms of what is expected of them. Likewise with the vulture funds. There is no excuse for not taxing them. They have deprived people of homes and a decent quality of life. They are a scourge on the country.

I saw a man and his family in Portlaoise - a whistleblower, Noel McGree - being evicted in the past few days in the lead-up to a time when families are trying to get their act together to go through Christmas with the children. That is what happened to that whistleblower, and that is what that vulture fund did to him. That is not acceptable. We should look at that matter again in the context of the upcoming finance Bill in order that we could perhaps introduce some form of extra taxation on these funds.

There are good, broad plans for education, but small schools like that in Burnchurch in County Kilkenny should not lose a teacher just because it is short by one pupil. We need to reach out to these schools. We must ensure that what they have, they hold, in the expectation that the numbers will grow in the future.

I asked the Minister to set aside €10 million in his funding for the next four years in order that when planning permission is eventually obtained for the bigger projects, such as the much needed extension of the ring road in Kilkenny, the money will be there to ensure that it is built. Likewise, funding must be put aside for the N24 and the N25, both of which must be delivered.

I associate myself with the positive on the tillage sector and ask that no scheme be reduced in funding in order to give to another sector. The amount of money needed, be it €90 million, should be put into the figures and should be confirmed in the Finance Bill.

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