Taxation
We are fulfilling our pledges on taxation, both to the electorate and the social partners, so that people can keep more of their earnings. Over the past 10 years, tax rates have been brought down by some 24 points - 23 of them were taken off when Fianna Fail was in government. We are now on track for a standard income tax rate of 20 per cent, and removing four out of five people from the higher rate. This will be a historic achievement.
Indeed, when we took office, a single person on PAYE entered the tax net at just £71 a week. From April, it will be almost £110 a week. When we took office, a person on average industrial earnings faced a marginal tax rate of 48 per cent. By April we will have brought that down to 22 per cent. This is the simple undeniable fact. In the last election, we promised to cut taxes, and we have done it. In fact, this Government have done more than anyone to remove people on low incomes from the tax net, 135,000 in our three budgets, that is over 100,000 people more than the previous government's three budgets.
Minimum wage
The introduction of the minimum wage was a pledge that I campaigned on during the last general election. It is now about to be introduced, and it will be £5 an hour within two years. This will be the highest in Europe. This year's social welfare increase will match the rise in earnings, not just cover inflation. Our older people are always at the forefront of our attention. Pensioners have been given special increases, brought forward by a month, that are on course to bring them well over £100 a week during our term of office. This represents a real increase of one-third.
Delivering infrastructure
Rapid infrastructural development is required if the country is not to become clogged up. On completion of the National Development Plan at an expenditure of £41 billion, journey times between our ma or cities by road and rail will be much reduced. All of this is part of a larger process to open up the whole country.
The Luas, the port tunnel, the quality bus corridors and the final part of the Dublin ring road are all happening. We have opened the Lee tunnel, the Arklow bypass, and are upgrading the road and rail to Galway, Tralee and Sligo. The planning laws will be streamlined, so as to avoid long delays on projects. Air services are vital to the regions, and I am glad to announce that we are making flight connections between Dublin, Derry and Knock part of our essential public services programme.
Regional Development
Our priority is to create more balanced regional development. We want growth to take up the slack in parts of the country that are not yet fully benefiting from buoyant economic conditions. We want to reduce the pressure on the greater Dublin area. We have ensured that the Border, midland and western region will still benefit for another six years from Objective 1 status.
A new decentralisation programme will aid sizeable commercial towns that do not have a concentration of industry. Urban and rural renewal will improve our towns, both for the benefit of those who live in them and for business and tourism. Our housing policy is to increase supply and reduce bottlenecks in the planning process, so that prices are brought within reach for young couples.
Farming
Fianna Fail in government will do all in its power to sustain into the next generation the full-time family farm. Supports negotiated by Irish ministers in Brussels are a substantial part of farm income, and the Government is having success with the industry in developing and reopening European and third markets. There is a provision of £6.7 billion in the National Development Plan to give farmers the opportunity to make their farms efficient, productive and environmentally-friendly.
We will introduce better and continuous price transparency to eliminate any cartels. Today, there are more opportunities than ever before to bring additional income into the farm household, and our rural development policy is geared to encouraging the uptake of compatible on and off-farm activities. We have no less concern for our fishing families. We aim to protect their livelihood and access to Irish stock at EU level and to upgrade our air/sea rescue capacity.
Industrial policy
In the 1980s, Fianna Fail made real the vision of an international financial services centre. The centre now employs 9,000 people and generates hundreds of millions in tax revenue. Fianna Fail also transformed the Temple Bar district into one of the most attractive cultural quarters, making an important contribution to generating all-the-year-round tourism. We have worked hard to reach the point where the Irish are leaders in key industries of the future.
This time when we entered government, we undertook to position Ireland as the most attractive location in Europe for electronic and digital business and place this country at the cutting edge of the information society.
Information technology and the communications revolution
We have created a competitive telecom environment and recently invested in making sure that this island is connected to the global telecommunications network which is vital to e-commerce and the Internet. This will make available ample broad band capacity and give people and business high speed access at approximately one-tenth of current cost.
As a nation we have always complained about our peripherality. With the Internet and electronic commerce, it does not matter if you are in Ballina, Boston or Barbados. You can conduct your business globally at no disadvantage, providing the infrastructure is in place. Major projects are giving Ireland immediate international recognition as a visionary location. This will give opportunities for our young, creative, artistic people to become involved.
Over the next year or so, the new multimillion fibre optic cable will be connected to a nationwide network, helping businesses sell online, helping people in even the most remote communities find access to a world of information, and helping schools make sure that every child has a chance to learn from and contribute to the information age.
Research and development
If we want Ireland to continue as a centre for world-class businesses, we have to invest in research. We have therefore provided almost £2 billion in the National Development Plan for world-class research in our colleges and institutions. All of this reflects our vision of an Ireland wired to the world, a door to prosperity, through which a new high-tech trained generation can pass.
Education for all
I believe that many of the achievements of our country in recent years have been founded on education. Central to the traditions of Fianna Fail is a consistent and unequalled commitment to expanding participation in education and opening up new possibilities for our people. We have put in place the largest-ever programme to renew our schools and colleges. We are putting an end to the days of damp and decaying school buildings so that our children can learn in decent, modern facilities.
In only a short time, we have achieved a lot; classes are smaller, schools are better funded and we have created over 10,000 new places in third-level colleges. This is a record we can be proud of. Everybody can benefit from education, and I am determined that this will be the government which finally establishes educational opportunity for all.
Second-chance guarantee
For those who left school early, we will implement a second-chance guarantee. Under this, anyone who did not complete a Leaving Certificate will be able to access an education or training course. The far too many people in our country who cannot read will be able to attend an adult literacy programme. This will help unlock the potential of many thousands of people and give them more opportunity to participate fully in our economic and social life.
Equality for people with disabilities
This Government have turned words into action on behalf of one of the most marginalised groups in our society, people with disabilities. We have already implemented radical initiatives to protect and promote their rights and wellbeing.
We have dramatically increased care places, we have passed equality legislation and we have given children with disabilities the automatic right and the means to attend their local schools. I will do everything I can to make sure that this Government is remembered for its dedication to helping people with disabilities to participate in all aspects of Irish life as full and as equal citizens.
Health
I can assure you that further improving the health service available to all our people is a central priority of our continuing years in office. Fianna Fail is committed to a decent, public, accessible health service. We are determined to make sure that our health service allows the prompt treatment of serious illness, regardless of means, in modern facilities that respects the dignity of patients of all ages.
Long waiting lists, hospital overcrowding and old and dilapidated facilities belonging to another age must be eliminated as soon as possible. This is not an easy challenge, but it is one Fianna Fail are determined to meet. Around 50,000 extra public patients will be treated this year. We will open more beds, and step up investment in community care. And we have put in place the largest programme to renew and develop our hospitals in the history of the health service.
In less than three years, we have increased total health spending from £2.7 billion in 1997 to £4.3 billion this year. This 59 per cent increase is unprecedented and I assure you it will make a difference.