Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on the Estimates. The discussion is worthwhile although it is a pity we do not have longer to explore in detail the possible options facing the Government. I listened with interest to the previous speaker, in particular her comments on her twin areas of concern, child care and care of the elderly. I congratulate Senator White on her work in these important policy fields, on which I hope the budget will deliver progress.

Most of the political debate in recent months has been on the child care front whereas care of the elderly has been sadly neglected from a policy perspective. The only occasion it was discussed in the House or elsewhere in the past 12 to 18 months was in regard to the nursing home repayments issue — a valid issue but not the entire equation. We need an urgent policy debate on the issue. The Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, who is a former chairperson of the Southern Health Board, will be aware of the major difficulties we face due to the lack of proper funding and services for the elderly.

Senator White referred to vision. The former US President, George Bush Snr., was deemed to be inadequate in regard to what was called "the vision thing". If one charge could be laid against the Government, it is that despite the huge resources and spending capacity available to it, it has not had a vision. I take on board the Minister's point about prudent management of the economy, which is important. However, that management must be linked to a purpose. On the areas that really matter, namely, health, education, welfare spending, transport and housing, we have had management but we have not had vision. There have been strategy statements and consultants' reports but drive, energy and enthusiasm have been sadly lacking.

The current body politic, not just the Government, does not appear to have the same depth of vision innovation as was evident among the political leadership which existed when the country was in its infancy, when politicians across the political spectrum founded the State, established the ESB, built up industry, developed agriculture and put together a health service. We are so busy with the management of the economy that we do not appear able to plan with any degree of innovation or vision. I doubt the upcoming budget will represent a departure in this regard.

All politics is said to have local impact. In discussing the Estimates and the financial direction the Government is taking, I will consider my area of north Cork, which the Minister of State knows well and which could represent any area. I will focus on the north east of the county whereas the Minister of State would concentrate on the north west. The town of Mallow was deemed not only suitable as a location for a Government office under the decentralisation programme but was also given hub status under the spatial strategy. That strategy was quite laudable but has not been made a reality. Mallow today is quite similar to the town of five or six years ago, when it had not been granted hub status. We need to consider these issues and ask how we will deliver on hub status.

The decentralisation programme is becoming an Irish joke. The Fáilte Ireland office was to decentralise to Mallow. The chairperson of that organisation attended a breakfast meeting in the town some weeks ago. In a comment to the local press following the meeting, she indicated it might be ten years before the office would move to Mallow, which is bitterly disappointing. Mitchelstown was where the decentralisation programme was seen as a total fiasco. The community was told that Bus Éireann would decentralise one of its head offices to Mitchelstown, where 200 jobs would be created. It was then discovered that only 90 staff were working in the Dublin office concerned, which was a disappointing joke.

What will the Estimates do for Mallow General Hospital, which was recently deemed the cleanest hospital in the national hygiene audit? It needs significant investment. As it caters for many of the people in the Minister of State's new constituency, I hope he would have a personal interest in liaising with the Ministers for Health and Children and Finance to ensure the investment needed to keep hospitals such as Mallow General Hospital working at full capacity will be put in place.

Further investment is required in schools. Given that the national envelope of resources totals almost €50 billion, parents and children in communities throughout the country find it difficult to understand why educational facilities are not being provided at the required rate. I hope the Minister of State will attend next week's meeting of Members with representatives from the Buttevant area, where a new school is sought. The Estimates of some €48 billion and the Celtic tiger will mean little if we cannot respond to such requests.

I regret I must make another parochial point but it dovetails with the issue of the new transport strategy, Transport 21, and the €30 billion-plus involved. In recent times the Minister of State has regularly toured the north Cork area, from where one can hear his radio dispatches. The House will be glad to know the Minister of State is a great man to report on where ale prices are cheapest.