Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Since the election, the Tánaiste has specialised in a major conjuring trick of both being part of the Government and distancing herself from it. Deputy Howlin would know all about that.

Most journalists have at some point printed articles about how unhappy the Tánaiste has been with the Labour Party’s performance in government. She has encouraged the idea that the worst policies would never have happened if she had been in control. In her record as Minister for Social Protection, the false claim that she has been a lone fighter for greater fairness is exposed. Time after time she has implemented changes and cuts while trying to pretend that they were socially progressive when they were the exact opposite. Not only has she agreed policies at Cabinet that imposed new charges and taxes on people below the living wage; she has led the charge in her own Department. While missing from the speeches we have just heard, the sheer scale of the Tánaiste's targeting of low-income groups includes cuts in child benefit, jobseeker’s allowance for young people, maternity benefit andthe back-to-school footwear and clothing allowance, and the abolition of the cost of education allowance. She is also responsible for the cut in the respite care grant, the abolition of the redundancy rebate, the slashing of the household benefits package, the abolition of the telephone allowance and the cut to jobseeker's benefit and disability allowance for young people, although this was reversed under pressure. She also cut the fuel allowance and the one-parent family allowance,undermined farm assistand abolished the bereavement grant.Whatever the Tánaiste has been in this Government, a dissident from its unfair policies is not one of them.

Last Tuesday, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, in a presentation to Fianna Fáil, told us that households with children and lone-parent families are now top of the queue in looking for its help and assistance. There is a sense of despair and hopelessness out there which blights life for many who are unable to see a better future for themselves or their families.

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