Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the abolition of milk quotas which have been in place since 1984. This development will allow many jobs to be created throughout the country, not just in particular areas. Ongoing and valid criticism to the effect that employment was limited to certain locations in the past has been levelled at the Government and those which preceded it. Jobs will be created in every parish and county throughout the land.

Another issue I want to raise relates to the allocation of €1.5 billion in funding for the provision of social housing. It is about time such funding was provided. I am not going to criticise what happened in the past, particularly as money was not available. However, money is being made available now. Will the Leader invite the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, to come to the House to explain how the funding is being allocated? I have just examined the numbers and wish to make it clear that I am not very pleased. I could only scratch my head when I discovered that certain counties or constituencies were receiving half of what was being given to counties and constituencies with similar populations. I have been very critical of the way Fianna Fáil did business when it was in government. The way in which that party did business was that a Minister would look after those in his or her neck of the woods and everybody else could just shag off. The current Government comprises Fine Gael and the Labour Party and that is not the way we do business. However, what is happening in the allocations to which I refer seems to indicate that we are, in fact, doing it in that way. Members will note from my tone that I am very displeased. I will inform the House why that is the case. Under the allocations that have been announced, County Wexford where I live will receive €25 million, while County Tipperary where the Minister resides will receive €57 million. I would like the Leader to invite the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, to come to the House at the first available opportunity to explain the numbers to me. What is being done in the context of the numbers smacks of the way in which Fianna Fáil used to do business.