Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I support the motion proposed by my colleague, Senator John Paul Phelan. I thank him for bringing it forward for debate. I also thank and congratulate my Cork colleague, Deputy Coveney, on putting so much work into this Fine Gael policy, which was launched last week and is a major step forward in the sense of an Opposition party presenting a series of options that are well thought out, fully costed and which, if enacted, could make a difference.

The previous speaker, who has left the Chamber, spoke of vacuums and said there was a vacuum on this side of House. If there is a vacuum currently in the political process and in the broader political debate, it is a vacuum of hope on the Government side of the House and more pertinently on the Government benches. Members of the public fully understand the economic crisis facing the country. There is a clear level of public acceptance and understanding of it but there is a lack of hope among the public because there is no confidence, energy or optimism emanating from Government. That vacuum of hope needs to be filled and it can only be filled by political parties, and from the Fine Gael Party perspective, by presenting a series of ideas and options as to how this country can be turned around and what types of projects can be presented that can make a difference, can ensure people get back to work and that will work in practice as well as in theory. The type of thinking behind this Fine Gael motion is pertinent. It is what the public is demanding of all of political parties.

There was a time when it was enough for an Opposition party simply to oppose Government measures but now it is demanded of us that we present our own ideas, solutions and suggestions. We were invited to do so by the Government. In a sense it was demanded of us. This document, our proposal to set up a new economic and recovery authority, is part of our package of replies. It is not only worthy of debate but of acceptance and implementation. It reflects the type of thinking that is demanded and expected of political parties. Whether the next election is six weeks, six months or two and half years hence, I hope during that period there will be a battle of ideas between the parties. It is incumbent on all political parties to present what they stand for, how they would change the State and what proposals they would implement. We have a solid document in this our policy platform, which we are now discussing.

I wish to refer to some of the issues at the core of this Fine Gael policy. I believe everybody would accept the need for progress in green energy power generation, electric transport etc., but there has been limited progress in those areas in recent years. I am disappointed Senator Boyle has left the Chamber. He has often spoke about the Green Party's aspirations in this regard, but we have seen little action from it in the almost two years it has been in the seat of power.

From a Cork perspective, in terms of green energy, electric transport, fuel systems etc., we must reflect on the now disused, virtually dismantled, decayed sugar factory in Cork and sugar beat industry in Ireland. There is still an opportunity to produce a fuel mix of bioethanol, biodiesel etc. That must be brought back on to the political and economic agenda. The Government has examined such proposals in the past three or four years. We have the necessary capacity for such development and a number of recent seminars on this topic were held. We have the capacity to grow a significant level of fuel crops without impacting on our core agri-food need. This issue is worthy of urgent Government attention. It is part of the Fine Gael proposal and it is something that can work.

Our document covers the rollout of broadband. It has been discussed in this House on numerous occasions and it is very much part of the political agenda but now we want to make it work. Far too many areas of the country do not have sufficient broadband access. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, made a number of announcements on it, the most recent being a few weeks ago. We need action now rather than announcements. Such provision is very much at the core of this Fine Gael policy document that we will invest significantly in the rollout of broadband to ensure that not only every town but every townland across the length and breadth of the country has access to broadband with the advantages that would bring from a commercial, industrial and domestic perspective. I fully support our policy in that regard.

The cost of the measures I briefly outlined and of all the measures contained in the document is substantial. We recognise that the country is currently economically disadvantaged from a financial perspective. That is the reason the thinking behind the Fine Gael document is new and novel but it is also realistic in the sense that we present an equation of financial measures which will ensure the whole programme will be funded from a number of sources, including the National Pensions Reserve Fund, additional forms of borrowing by the new ERA and the sale of some current State assets. The State is investing money in the National Pensions Reserve Fund, which is currently resulting in a loss of value in the fund. The fund's performance during the past 12 to 24 months, like every other pension fund worldwide, has lost a significant share of its value. It is appropriate that some of this money would be invested in a series of projects that would work and make a difference. Our suggestion that we examine State assets, consider the sale of a number of them and plough the resources back into this type of thinking and project is sensible, understandable, workable and can make a difference.

I express the hope that the type of thinking behind this set of ideas will continue to flow from this side of the House. There is currently a vacuum in Irish politics. It is a vacuum of hope and vision on the Government side. There is a demand on us to fill that vacuum with policy proposals and ideas that are workable and which the public demand of us. This document and our motion represent a positive step in that direction.