Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

It was the easiest election I ever fought. It was a marvellous manifesto. I did not read it all but it sounded very good. I was too busy canvassing. We will not go back to those issues.

This motion is not about the Minister. It is about the work of the Government but the Minister for Finance has been tremendously innovative and I will give an example of that. The tax incentive scheme for Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim and south Sligo has revolutionised the town of Carrick-on-Shannon and areas in Roscommon like Kilteevan and Portrun. People are now moving into those areas and this innovative scheme has created a huge amount of building activity.

I disagree with Senator Norris about this debate. It is an opportunity for Members to put their ideas to the Minister, which can then be considered along with issues arising from the tax incentive scheme. That was a pilot scheme. All of Roscommon is not included in the tax incentive scheme. Only one part of the electoral area I serve as a county councillor is included, the Kilteevan-Portrun area, which has created so much activity. In Kilteevan a pub and lounge is being built.