Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Senators for the contributions they have made. I have made notes on the points made by each Member and I will comment on each of the individual contributions. However, I will comment also on a number of broad themes that relate to the points made.

First, I want to comment on the concept of progress. It is important as we ground our contributions that we do so with an appreciation of progress made and what we have, not just what we need to do. In making this point, I am very conscious of the social needs that exist across all the groups that Members represent, across all communities and towns in the country. Of course, I represent a constituency in which these social needs are particularly acute. Recognising those needs should not be at the expense of progress we have made in the issues we have touched on here this afternoon.

It is important to acknowledge the deficiencies we have in our infrastructure. It is important to acknowledge the improvements we need to make. I will comment on that in a moment. Let us do that in the spirit of acknowledging that we have a national road network that in many parts of our country meets the needs of those who need to commute on it. Let us acknowledge that for a country of our size, notwithstanding the concerns that were articulated by Senator Grace O'Sullivan, we have a very well-developed national, local and regional airport network. Let us acknowledge that our port network from Dublin to Cork, to Shannon-Foynes and the regional ports has proven well capable of bringing in the goods and services that our State needs and exporting them in turn. We have a gas network that is capable of meeting the needs of our State and all the businesses that depend on it. Notwithstanding the work we need to do in regard to the interconnector for our island, we have an electricity network that is capable of meeting many of the needs of the businesses and communities on whom it depends.

While of course I acknowledge the infrastructure deficits we have, to which Members referred, if we do not begin these discussions with an appreciation of where we are, we will fall victim to the kind of hollow populism that is articulated by Sinn Féin and others on the far left who seek to focus only on the difficulties we have, and I acknowledge there are great difficulties, but give no recognition whatever to the progress that has been achieved. The only objective those kind of contributions have is generating an air of permanent crisis where all they want to focus on is what has not been done or not been delivered. There is never ever any reference or recognition of the progress that has been made-----