Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We want to support the motion in regard to the Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016. We had a very positive engagement with the Minister and the Department yesterday over five hours. I thank Senators for their support on this issue.

In regard to the summer economic statement, while I know we are having discussions on it, I want to touch on the issue of capital expenditure and infrastructure. We are all aware that the budget will be predicated on Fianna Fáil's confidence and supply agreement. While there has been a lot of kite flying about tax cuts, we have been quite clear on the issue of tax cuts that, for whatever tax cuts there are, there must be twice as much investment in the economy and in services. Wherever the Government seeks to find those tax cuts in terms of the USC, if there is to be a tax cut, it should be only for low and middle income earners, not for those at the top.

With regard to investment in broadband, housing, roads and critical infrastructure in our hospitals, the Government is lacking ambition, especially when it comes to the issue of public private partnerships and the 10% rule, which it has not sought to change. If we changed that rule and sought to pursue the issue of public private partnerships, we could draw down funding from the European Investment Bank. We could also look at re-investing in the domestic economy the €6.3 billion the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund currently has invested around the world. However, we need to change our focus and emphasis in regard to public private partnerships. We cannot let the issue languish and be predicated on the current 10% rule. We need to pursue this because our infrastructure, such as roads and in particular broadband, is absolutely dependent on further investment.

We see that the fiscal space is not going to be large and, depending on who is doing the numbers and what the Government intends to do in regard to tax cuts, it will be about €300 million. We have to ensure we have investment in our economy. I ask the Leader to outline whether the Government is looking to change the 10% rule and to make sure there are more public private partnerships, which have worked well in regard to many other infrastructure projects in the country in recent years.