Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister. It was a breath of fresh air to hear him speak. Once he spoke I was convinced it would be very easy to speak on this motion. I listened to all the negative things said by those opposite and I was getting depressed. I drove to Mullingar this week and I have driven to Galway, Cork and Waterford and it is so easy to get from A to B. From where did the money come to build these roads? This is our success story. As a result of our economy's success, I am very pleased we have €184 billion to invest in the future and to create a vision for the next ten years.

I wish to focus on social infrastructure, about which the Minister did not speak. I refer to investment in social and affordable housing, primary care, sports infrastructure throughout the country, including Lansdowne Road and Abbotstown, the arts and in cultural facilities. I want to see that investment because I do not wish to see the decline of the social infrastructure throughout the country. Much of this infrastructure is located in Dublin and in the major cities and it must be extended throughout the country. We must invest in rural development. We know what is happening in rural areas. I welcome the fact the Minister is putting so much money into this area.

There are many disadvantaged schools throughout the country and there are literacy problems in primary schools in disadvantaged areas.