New laws being brought forward by the Government will help speed up investigations into white collar crime and bring those guilty of banking offences to justice.

The public has been left bewildered and frustrated over the last few years over the length of time it’s taking to bring white collar criminals before the courts. We have seen our economy decimated by reckless actions, and yet it seems no one is being held responsible. People have understandably felt like those behind these crimes are untouchable. The Government is determined to put an end to that situation.

Fine Gael has long been calling for reforms in this area, and now in Government we are delivering on our pre-election promises. The Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has today published a Bill that will give the Gardaí greater powers and help to quicken the pace of current and future investigations. The proposals target a range of complex and serious offences, including crimes in the areas of banking and finance, corruption, money laundering and cybercrime.

The powers of investigation of the Gardaí will be strengthened on a number of fronts. New procedures will make it easier for officers to gain access to the documents and information they need to bring forward successful prosecutions. A new offence relating to the withholding of information means people will be compelled to co-operate with the Gardaí. And a changed approach to detention periods will make it possible for a suspect’s detention to be suspended, so further investigations can be carried out.

These measures are much needed, and the speed with which they are being brought forward is proof of the high priority this Government is giving to tackling the issue of white collar crime. I am confident that this Bill will greatly aid the Gardaí in the course of their investigations, and will ultimately lead to white collar criminals facing the full rigours of the law.

The newly announced forestry premiums for 2011 will involve the payment of €56.2 million to around 11,500 forest owners around the country.

Forestry is vital to the livelihoods of many farmers. I urge would urge farmers to avail of this scheme.
Forestry premiums provide farmers with an annual income stream from their woodland.  The premium is calculated according to land status (i.e. enclosed or unenclosed), tree species planted, as well as farm and plantation size. 

There are the numerous benefits of forestry for farmers, forest owners and for the wider economy. On top of the premium payments, forest owners can avail of returns from thinnings, due to the increasing popularity of wood-energy, and the clear-fell of their forestry plantation. Forestry is of long term economic benefit for the economy in that it generates jobs and contributes to our national exports. It also provides benefits to the environment and recreation and amenity value to society in general.

Forestry premiums are payable each year for twenty years for farmers and for fifteen years for non-farmers. There is usually a main forestry premium payment run at which time most forest owners, to whom a premium payment is due, are paid.

The Forest Service promotes afforestation as a viable land use for farmers through the provision of planting grants and payment of annual premiums.  In 2010, over €107 million of capital expenditure was invested in afforestation grants and premia mainly comprising €27.6 million on Afforestation 1st Instalment Grants, €7.4 million on Afforestation 2nd Instalment Grants and €72.3 million on Afforestation Premium payments.  An additional €6.6 million was spent on other forestry support schemes for forestry and woodland development projects.

A total of €114.5 million in funding for capital and current expenditure has been allocated for the overall forestry programme in 2011.  This should facilitate payment for between 7,500 and 8,000 hectares of new planting.

Our Party’s New Politics plan for political reform will regain the trust of the Irish people by tackling the issues of pay, pensions and party funding.

The radical Fine Gael plan will abolish severance pay for Ministers leaving office, cut Taoiseach’s and Ministers’ pay, tackle Ministerial pensions, overhaul the expense regime and ban corporate donations.

Fine Gael has a 5 Point Plan to get Ireland working. The political system must lead the way by doing more with less. That is why Enda Kenny was the first  to call for a referendum on the abolition of the Seanad, and why Fine Gael is committed to reducing the number of TDs by 20.

For the last 13 years Irish politics was dominated by the politics of the Galway Tent. Government was run by and for a small group of privileged insiders, the so-called ‘Friends of Fianna Fáil’. Government Ministers were paid too much and given huge sums of goodbye money as they left politics, even though they brought the country to its financial knees.

Fine Gael, if elected to Government, will change things radically and permanently. We will:

• End severance payments for all Ministers leaving office.

• Ensure Ministers only receive their Ministerial pensions when they reach the national retirement age.

• Further reduce the Taoiseach’s salary, in line with our proposals in Reinventing Government, to €200,000. There will be a pro-rata reduction in Ministerial salaries.

• Insist that all TD expenses are vouched.

• Ensure that no politician or any other individual, private or public, will receive taxpayer subsidies for an annual pension in excess of €60,000.

• Ban donations to parties by corporate organisations. We will also lower the maximum amount that individuals can donate to political parties.

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