Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

-----particularly persons who had senior political experience, be available for appointment to ambassadorial roles. It is something we should consider. In the efforts we all will make to try to rebuild this country, we certainly need to look at new ideas and new solutions.

On the Appropriation Bill, it is fair to say that the practice of politics and economics in this country in recent times has been of a see-saw nature, by which I mean that we go from periods of great spending to periods of great adjustment on the other end. There were a number of Appropriation Bills over the past decade where the only issues we were debating were how much money was being spent. We did not even ask how it was being spent or if it was being well spent, but merely concentrated on what it was being spent on. We have now gone to the other extreme where we are talking about how much money is being saved. We need a debate, both from a spending perspective and a savings perspective, on what I call the how and the why. It is not merely a question of saving money and trying to reduce public expenditure. We must try to ensure it is done in a way that is least damaging to society and to the economy.

I welcome what the Minister stated on matters such as tourism, which was referred to by Senator Buttimer. It is one of the sectors where there is enormous scope for growth and improvement. I hope even the modest decision made in the budget to reduce the travel tax will be of some degree of help. Much pressure was put on the Department and on all of us by the airline industry and the tourism sector in general to have this travel tax reduced or fully waived, and indications were given that if the Minister acceded to that request, it would result in significant tourist numbers coming to this country. At least, that is something which we will be able to judge and, hopefully, the tourism industry will respond to the budgetary initiative.

Education, another area to which the Minister referred, is one of the significant Government expenditure programmes. One of the issues which arises regularly in this House on Adjournment debates is school building programmes, prefabricated accommodation etc. The Government must be a little more flexible in how we spend the funding, and on cause and effect. Right across the country on an annual basis tens of millions of euro, which is taxpayers' money not Government money, is being spent on prefabricated accommodation and the rules and regulations governing school building, and the various stages involved in even sanctioning the most basic project, are so complex and so regulated and administratively difficult that projects which could be built at a relatively reasonable cost are being delayed and deferred. Rented accommodation is being used and when the project finally comes for delivery and for building, the cost has shot up enormously. That is a small item in which administrative blockages cost the taxpayer money and social cohesion because of inadequate schooling facilities. I know the issue has been brought to the attention of the Minister and the Minister for Education and Skills dozens of times. It should be possible to resolve it and, in the new environment where we will be more careful of the money we spend, it is something we must consider.

The Appropriation Bill gives us the opportunity to pose questions about public expenditure. There was a time before the Minister's arrival in the Houses when there was a joint committee dealing with public expenditure which did some very valuable work. Notwithstanding the plethora of committees we have, it disappeared despite working with the Committee of Public Accounts. We should reconsider its operation because the era has long gone when money could be treated like confetti. Even if money at the level of the Celtic tiger is ever available again, we must ensure it is spent in a more constructive and longer lasting fashion. Some type of public expenditure committee or watchdog in the House, led by politicians, would be helpful in that regard.

Senator Buttimer referred to the Minister's comments on social partnership. It was a creature of the late 1980s, having been conceived in 1987. Some 23 years later we are in a very different place which requires new responses. There should always be an opportunity for social partners, in the broadest sense, to have a voice to be listened to in order to freely make known their views. If we have learned anything from recent political and economic crises, it is that politicians are the people who must make decisions. Those who are hired and can be fired by the public are best placed to make the required tough decisions. Politicians should take the lead in this respect and although there must be a role for social dialogue, the decision making should be politically led.