James Bannon (Fine Gael)

The losers will be our elderly, who are facing a harsh winter and are unable to meet the projected cost of heating their homes from their limited resources. In a time of plenty, what Government would allow the elderly to bear the burden of the senseless increases I have outlined? In the next few months and immediately after the budget, we will see an increase in stealth taxes. The people who will bear most of this burden are the elderly, sick and disabled.

With our lamentable record on Kyoto, what will the Government do to develop a sustainable energy sector? The Estimates show a 3% cut in funding for research and development and forestry which, when inflation is taken into account, is a significant cut in available funding. These are key areas for the future development of agriculture, especially for the food and bio-fuel industries. Their neglect indicates that the Government has no grand plan for agriculture and a lack of commitment to the future of farming.