Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I support Senator White's call regarding historical documents which makes good sense. We should preserve historical State documents for public knowledge and scrutiny.

Yesterday the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea, opened a new Michael Collins museum in Cork. This is long overdue and a welcome development. It is important we recognise famous historical figures who paid dearly with their lives at a very difficult time in the foundation of State. We cannot even begin to imagine the pressure they were under 70 and 80 years ago when founding the State.

Will the Leader invite the Minister for Transport into the House? He is announcing allocations for this year's road building programme and it is important we have a debate on the matter next week. There is much division within the Government on the issue of a motorway for the south east and it will be interesting to see if it is included in the allocations.

We also need a discussion on tolling, which will be a massive issue in the by-elections. People in Meath and Kildare North are very concerned about the Government's policy of tolling everything. The motorist is extremely hard-pressed paying motor tax, vehicle registration tax and huge petrol prices, etc. This is an opportune time for a debate on road funding and why only half the income taken in motor tax is subsequently spent on local roads.