Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I propose to share time with Senator Regan. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It goes to show how Government spin and bluster changes over the years. Any of us here long enough to remember famous speeches by various Ministers for Finance know that they always went back to 1997 and compared what the Government led by Fine Gael and Labour gave and what the Government was then giving in respect of increases. The Minister of State did not go back to 1997 but to 1995. In an outrageous speech, Senator Leyden went back to 1983. It is amazing that he voted against the 1% levy at that time but it would not be the first time Fianna Fáil Members, while in opposition, voted against good proposals by Fine Gael and Labour. The Anglo-Irish Agreement and the 1% levy, which was needed at the time, are examples.

This budget is an attack on the poor, the low paid and the farmers. I have not heard much about the farmers this evening but this is a major attack on them, as it is on those who have to go to accident and emergency units, medical card holders and rural people who need a car. Despite the comments of Senator Hanafin on the 8 cent per litre increase, this amounts to nearly 40 cent per gallon, an outrageous increase. Those who must pay this are people who need cars, people in rural areas with no public transport or no prospect of it being introduced.

Where has it all gone wrong? A few years ago, we had a massive surplus of €3 to €4 billion per year and there is now a deficit of €15 billion. Where has the money gone and how could it happen so quickly? There is no explanation from the Government but it is clear that the signs were there before the last general election, and for the past number of years, but the Government did nothing about it. If it had done something we would not be in the mess we are in today.

We sold Eircom for a massive amount of money, along with the TSB and Aer Lingus. The OPW, for which the Minster of State is responsible, sold various pieces of property over the past year and a half. We sold the jewels in the crown, semi-State bodies built up by hard-pressed taxpayers over the years. That money has been squandered over the past number of years.

Fixed contracts were introduced in the past two years. This has been removed, according to the speech of the Minister of State. Does it apply to the projects outlined in the decentralisation project? Some are going ahead and some are PPPs. Are these still on fixed contracts, is this clause removed and will they have to reach another arrangement?