Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

Thank you for your ruling, a Chathaoirligh.

In the context of the contribution by Senator Zappone, we on this side of the House welcomed the decision by the Senator, along with the leader of the Independent Group, Senator van Turnhout, to oppose the guillotining of the Bill. It occurred to me that the combined vote on this side of the House, coupled with the seven members of the Independent Group, would put the Government under severe pressure. In fact, the chances are that we would win the vote. While it is welcome that two Members of the seven voted with the Opposition, I put it up to the other five that when this situation arises again they might consider themselves as truly independent and not support the Government on every issue.

Members on the opposite side claim public expenditure targets have been met. Despite Exchequer returns at the end of June meeting those targets, one will note when one looks at them in more detail that public expenditure is being reduced while current day-to-day spending is increasing. Will the Leader ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to attend the House at the earliest opportunity, and certainly when the spending review has been completed, to indicate which parts of the country will not receive roads funding? It is inevitable that under the capital programme, funds for improvements to the county and secondary road network, which are in bad state as a result of recent winters, will be hit badly in the budget. The Minister for Finance reinforced this view when he said it would be a difficult budget for next year. These cuts will hit rural areas hard, apart from the major projects to which Senator Darragh O'Brien referred. It would be in the interests of the House and local authorities if the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government indicated here what are his plans to ring-fence expenditure for the improvement works for secondary and local roads.