I will start by saying we had enough excitement with boom and bust budgets. Boring is good enough for me because the excitement of boom and bust budgets was not much fun for the many citizens who suffered as a consequence of them.

I very much welcome the increased money for education, the importance of which to our future needs no further debate by me. People understand this.

I welcome the child care funding increase - it is important that it be focused in the manner outlined in the budget - for providers in order that the Government can have a say about standards and some control over costs.

Of course, one would like to do more, but we have just come out of the most serious economic recession the country has ever endured. It is welcome, therefore, that there will be an additional €130 million or €145 million for child care services.

I really welcome the money allocated for the health service and hope the reforms will continue. As stated previously, money alone will not cure that problem. Senator Máire Devine spoke about putting our money where our mouth was. In that context, specific moneys are being allocated for mental health services. The issue has been taken very seriously by the Government for some time.

There are changes in the universal social charge that will give some small relief to hard-pressed workers. We would love to do more.

There is money for roads and infrastructure. I was especially glad to hear that metro north is still on track and the money for it will also be forthcoming. There is also money for the national maternity hospital, which is very important, and the new paediatric hospital. Again, we are investing in our future and children.

I agree with the provision of money for first-time buyers. I remind those in Fianna Fáil who have cried so much about this that they introduced a similar measure in the 1980s. I thank them as I gained from it when I bought my first house.

What a mistake it was too. Everybody acknowledges that it was a mistake.

Not at all. Houses are very expensive in Dublin and this will give young people an opportunity to get on the ladder. It is not always that a house is the first purchase, as it can often be an apartment that starts a young family on the ladder. People need to live close to where they work and much of the work is available in Dublin. There is also much work available down the country and the issue should be addressed through the regional action plan for jobs. There is clearly much more to be done, but we have also put money in to address housing shortages and homelessness. Having put in €1.2 billion, the Government has done as good a job as could be done with the limited increased funds available. Never let the perfect get in the way of the good.