There is never a right time to bring an end to a good Government, but this is certainly not the right time to bring an end to this good Government. Let me define my terms on this issue. You do not judge a Government by the quality of the relationships at the Cabinet table. You judge a Government by their results, and this, assuredly, is a good Government when judged by their results. Nor are these results created by the context or the circumstances; these are results which often fly in the face of the context and the circumstances.
For example, despite recession in some of our major trading partners, Irish economic growth significantly outpaced both the OECD and the EC averages last year. In other words, this country managed to do better than external circumstances would have predicted we would do. Numbers at work expanded, modestly, it is true, but there was a definite expansion. This at a time when many other countries experienced substantial losses in net employment. The government played a crucial lead role in both of these achievements.
In my own area, since coming into office I have pursued a vigorous transport development policy, setting out to build up both our access transport links and our internal transport network. Job creation and competitiveness are the priorities in our air transport policy. My approach to air transport policy has been to prepare the Irish airline industry for the European Single Market conditions which will apply from 1 January 1993. We have been preparing for this eventuality by strengthening the Irish presence on existing air routes to and from Ireland and by opening new opportunities for our airlines to compete in international markets. I have done so through the negotiation of new and extensive bilateral agreements and, within these, the pursuit of fifth freedom rights to further widen access to markets for Irish airlines.
Since assuming office, I have concluded six new bilateral agreements with non-EC countries, and I have instructed my officials to seek extra business opportunities across the whole range of activities that the Aer Lingus group are involved in. In the case of the Shannon stop, the Government made a prodevelopment, pro-regional decision. Moreover, the Government's policy has the full support of a wide range of interests, including the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Central Representative Council representing the workforce in Aer Lingus. The Government are maintaining their commitment to make Shannon a major aviation centre. In essence, the Shannon stop policy is about jobs, jobs in Shannon and along the western seaboard. It ensures that those are preserved and that new employment can be created, but it does not endanger a single job anywhere else.
The Government's commitment to maximising tourism performance remains steadfast. We are nearing completion of year four of the five year programme. By year-end it is expected that annual foreign tourism earnings will have grown by over £450 million on the 1988 figure, boosting job numbers in the sector by well in excess of 20,000 in the process. This has been achieved despite serious difficulties faced by the industry recently, in the shape of the Gulf War and ongoing recessions this year in some of our main markets.
The Government and the industry recognise that to grow we must continue to look for and develop new markets. For example, this year Ireland successfully took part in EXPO '92 in Seville where 1.5 million visitors attended our exhibit. I had the pleasure this year of welcoming the first ever Japanese tourism mission to Ireland. As a result of this initiative, talks have begun on an air transport agreement between Ireland and Japan, another potentially lucrative market for Irish tourism.
The improved performance of the industry under the Government's two consecutive programmes for economic development has not been by accident. These programmes have marked the launch of the single biggest and most sustained programme of investment in Irish tourism since the establishment of the State. Between 1987 and the end of 1993 about £1 billion of capital will have gone into developing, expanding, and upgrading the Irish tourism product.
The new county enterprise boards will in future provide an important new focus for tourism development. I see in them a vehicle for harnessing and directing local energies towards a full and integrated development of their local economies.
Based on the rate of return obtained from current EC investment in Irish tourism in terms of improved performance, I would anticipate EC agreement on a significant level of future funding for tourism.
The end of 1993 will see not only the conclusion of the five year EC-backed programme for tourism development, but also of the Operational Programme for Peripherality. That programme, which we successfully agreed with the EC Commission, has provided a very productive framework for assistance from the EC Structural Funds in respect of transport investment over the past few years. The bulk of the expenditure has been earmarked to improve Irish roads but the programme is also providing for major investments in airport, port and public transport infrastructure.
Our three State airports have shown tremendous growth in passenger traffic in recent years. We have been ensuring that the growth in traffic is catered for at the airports. Accordingly this Government have been overseeing a huge investment programme in State airport infrastructure. The Government have also been actively encouraging the development of regional airports in the interests of achieving balanced economic growth.
The Peripherality Programme is providing significant financial support in the development of our railway infrastructure. The flagship project is the major upgrading of the Dublin-Belfast rail link. This is taking place over a five-year period 1991-1996 and involves expenditure of approximately £50 million on the southern side of the Border. In negotiations with the EC authorities on this project I was successful in securing EC assistance at the maximum possible rate of 75 per cent.
Public transport and infrastructure development projects in my area of responsibility involve a total investment of approximately £50 million with half the funding coming from European Community sources. At national level, I am currently conducting a major review of the railway network, with a view to bringing forward proposals for a major investment programme to be put forward for EC funding under the next tranche of EC Structural Funds. We also need support from the EC to develop our telecommunications sector. This assistance is very important to ensure that we have the most up-to-date network of infrastructure.
Ba mhaith lion cúpla focal a rá anois faoi chursaí craolacháin. Bhí agus tá fós moltaí faoi bhunú seirbhíse teilifíse Gaeilge le cur faoi bhráid an Rialtais seo. Seirbhís don tír ar fad, ar chainéal ar leith, a ceanncheathrú i nGaeltacht na Gaillimhe atá i gceist. Bheadh sí ag craoladh mar thús ar feadh dhá uair a chloig sa ló ar a laghad. RTE agus na léiritheoirí neamhspleácha a chuirfeadh cláracha ar fáil don tseirbhís nua.
Leanfar leis an ullmhúchán don Bhille nua craolacháin agus don tseirbhís tele-físe Gaeilge, bíodh olltoghcháin ann nó ná bíodh. Sé mian mo chroí-sa mar Aire Cumarsáide a áiteamh ar mo chomh-Airí sa Rialtas an tseirbhís Ghaeilge a bhúnú.
This Government have put in place very specific development plans for the tourism, transport and communications sectors. These sectors have been playing very positive roles in the economic recovery of recent years. A crucial requirement for further expansion is a continuation of these sectoral development policies under a strong Government.
Caithfimid go léir comhoibriú le go mbeidh ár d'tionscail agus ár seirbhísí níos bisiúla. Ní féidir é sin a dhéanamh ach le Rialtas láidir agus ní féidir Rialtas láidir a chur ar fáil gan Fianna Fáil.