Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank the other Ministers who contributed to the debate, including the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen. The Book of Estimates published by the Minister is impressive and is published in advance of the 7 December budget. We look forward to a progressive budget, similar to those delivered by the Fianna Fáil-PD Government in recent years. There is an opportunity for Members to make a contribution and put suggestions, ideas and thoughts to the Minister.

As regards the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Vote 23 has provided the sum of €41 million for the Land Registry for 2006. This represents a 3% increase on the 2005 Estimates. It is important that the decentralisation programme is expedited because this has implications for the Land Registry. Some 230 jobs are planned for Roscommon town and it is important that they are provided for in the Estimates under the decentralisation programme. I wonder whether that will be a separate issue in the budget on 7 December where the Minister for Finance will outline and elaborate on the progress made in this regard. We want to see that project up and running as quickly as possible.

The present decentralisation of the registry of births, deaths and marriages has brought around 50 civil servants to Roscommon town and has been an outstanding success. The new facility at Convent Road houses the Department of Agriculture and Food, the General Register Office, the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Social and Family Affairs, which are all very welcome. We want to see continued progress in that regard.

As regards the Vote for the Department of Social and Family Affairs, I have spoken with the Minister and raised this matter in the House as well. The Minister, Deputy Brennan, has contributed greatly to the supports for the most disadvantaged in our society. However, as regards the free fuel scheme, I have asked the Ministers for Social and Family Affairs and Finance to reconsider the situation whereby roughly €9 per week is granted to the 280,000 beneficiaries. That is a 29-week period from September to mid-April. Kerosene has increased in price and is now €660 per kilolitre. The same is true of diesel fuel. That is an enormous amount of money. Filling the tank once a year will not suffice for the average home and two or three refills may be required.

The cost of a bale of briquettes is €2.85 and coal costs €6.50 a bag, so the €9 is absolutely useless.