Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I support the calls by Senators Leyden and Daly urging support for regional airports. It amuses me to note, however, that they raise local and regional issues in the House but boast that they will deal with matters of national concern through their parliamentary party. This is parish-pump politics of the highest order.

Let me speak on behalf of the groups most dependent on the State for their support, namely, the children and elderly. This budget was called, before the present banking turmoil affected the country, to deal with the huge deficits in our public finances. Even so, it will not deal with the deficits coming down the line. I have often heard lectures in this House on how well the economy has been managed by the Government.

I remind the House that the wastage of public finances over the years has led to the suffering of the children and elderly. Some €52 million was wasted on electronic voting. It cannot be stated enough that the Government dismissed any opposition to the project. Some €160 million was wasted on PPARS, there was a €37 million overspend on the Kilkenny flood relief scheme and €99.5 million was spent on Campus Stadium Ireland. Considerable sums of public money have gone down the drain. Who are suffering only the ordinary people?

This was one of the most mean-spirited and soft-option budgets ever. It was given a standing ovation by Members on the Government side. It was an attack on the children and the elderly and it is a disgrace. It has caused fear, confusion and concern in every community and the Government Senators should be ashamed of themselves. They are a disgrace and I tell them this to their faces across this House. The Government has lost all its personal touch and its connection with human nature and values, as demonstrated in the budget.

I call for a debate on the educational needs of our children. I was in a classroom yesterday morning with 36 junior infants. The class above had 34 senior infants, which is a disgrace. The measures introduced in the budget will increase these class sizes even further. We need positive, proactive investment in our future. What better approach than to invest in our children and protect our elderly?