James Bannon (Fine Gael)

There are no additional services for motorists, despite the tax increases of 12%. Several people have approached me with regard to their cars being robbed or burgled. Some protection should be given to motorists who are annoyed about their cars being robbed. The Minister of State referred to the reduction in funding for roads but we were conned by the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, in the last budget when he left a shortfall of €70 million for road programmes nationally, which we now have to make up with extra taxation. Those are the facts which are evident in the Minister's Budget Statement. Every local authority has been affected by the shortfall. There is no extra money but people cannot be fooled. The Minister took that €70 million from the budget for the roads programme and this 12% increase in motor taxation which the people will have to pay is an additional tax. We should request that €70 million from the Minister to make up the shortfall in the roads programme nationally.