James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and I welcome the budget.I believe the best way out of poverty is a job. A job gives self-esteem. It also gives financial independence. Therefore, it is critical that we make jobs pay, that we make work pay and that people who work get to take home more of their pay. This budget supports such endeavour. The economy is only important in so far as it can support society and this budget does that too. I have heard people say that much more could be done in different sectors. That is patently true but we have a finite amount of money. This budget goes a long way towards spreading that in a way that supports workers but also looks after the more vulnerable in our society.

Widening the tax bands by €750 and changing the entry point for single earners from €33,800 to €34,550 is a big help to people. It will also be reflected in the 2.5% USC rate being reduced to 2% and the 5% USC rate being reduced to 4.7%.

The earning disregard for the one-parent family payment has been increased by €20 per week. The family income supplement, FIS, threshold has been increased by €10 per month. The qualified child payment has been increased by €2 per week. These are all small changes but they are changes that travel in the right direction and support people who face serious challenges at the moment.

I welcome the fact we have other revenue raising provisions in the budget, particularly in so far as it shows there has been joined-up coherent thinking by Government. The sugar tax, increase in the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes and the VAT increase on sunbeds support public health policy to protect the health and well-being of people. I really welcome these initiatives.

I welcome the huge increase in the health budget and the fact it is, as far as I know, the biggest health budget in the history of the State. Again, there is job creation with the proposal to recruit 1,800 new front-line staff. The prescription charge has been decreased which, again, will reduce costs for people who are working and not working. The drugs payment scheme threshold has been reduced from €144 to €134, which is another help to people who are working but on medication. I also welcome the €471 million made available for capital funding. The initiative will lead to more jobs in construction and, indeed, the structures when they are built, including primary care centres, will lead to more jobs in staffing as well.

It is critically important that we invest in our future and our future are our children. Therefore, I particularly welcome the new jobs in education, the increase in the number of special needs assistants, SNAs, and the additional 1,300 teaching posts. I also welcome the increase in the number of Garda to be recruited, including civilians.

I want to talk about the €2 billion that is available for transport, infrastructure and tourism. I am particularly interested in the greenways because, again, the initiative represents joined up Government thinking. It affords people an opportunity to get out, be healthy and take exercise. I want to particularly mention the greenways that have proven so profitable in terms of jobs created and income generated. We have a wonderful opportunity in Fingal with our coastal routes and the fact that we have six train stations along the route. That means if people feel a bit tired from cycling the greenway they can just park their bikes and get the train home. Last year, 27 million people passed through Dublin Airport and it has been projected that the figure will be 30 million this year. There is an opportunity for them, if they have half a day to spare, to enjoy the coast of Fingal. Let us consider all the jobs that would result from that, not to mention the opportunity to exercise. I hope the Minister of State will ensure more money is invested in the greenways, as I have called for before. Within the allocation of €2 billion, there must be plenty of opportunity to invest.

I welcome the extra money allocated to Tusla and for the early childhood care and education schemes. I also welcome the extension of same to support young families who struggle to pay the cost of child care but want to be able to go out and work.

I thank the Acting Chairman for the time allocated and commend the budget to the House.