The new assistance scheme for first-time buyers will not work. All it will do is make builders richer. If that is the Government's answer to the problem, it does not know what the question is. Sean Barrett, a former Member of this House and a leading economist, has told me that it is not a solution to the problem, which is lack of supply. We need a better solution than the one put forward. In that regard, Members on this side of the House will be proposing a number of amendments to the Finance Bill.

Of equal concern is the child care provision. The issue has been raised by Members on all sides of the House and the provision must work in a better way. In some instances, people will benefit by only 50 cent an hour, which is merely a drop in the ocean. While it is better than a kick in the head, as described by some journalists, it is not good enough. It does not take into account anomalies in the case of babies and toddlers who require to be minded by a childminder. As there are only 160 childminders registered with Tusla, from where will all of the people come if we make it open to childminders?

I express a word of caution. There are 30,000 fewer civil servants than in 2008, yet the wage bill next year will be €20 billion, or only €700 million less than in 2008. Have we learned anything in the past few years? Have we reformed the system? We have fewer public servants, but very shortly the wage bill will be the same.