Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on the Finance Bill today. I recognise that the economic prosperity and success of the country is due to prudent management and initiatives made by successive Ministers for Finance, through the Finance Acts, and their management of the country. We would not have this success or the ability to put money into social welfare, education and increased spending on health without the increased prosperity in the country.

My concern today however is that these benefits have not been balanced. Spending under the national development plan on roads and health outside what used to be termed "the Pale" in areas from Donegal down to Kerry is unbalanced. For example, the forecast expenditure in the Border, midland and western, BMW, region to December 2006 was €15.2 billion. I am not an economist and ask to be corrected if I am wrong in believing €1 billion is €100 million.