Rónán Mullen (Independent)

Although we sometimes deservedly criticise Green Party members for being a little flaky in many ways, will the Leader pass on to Senator Ó Brolcháin my compliments and great admiration for the way he stuck to his guns on the issue of animal welfare? Concern for animals does us credit as a society and it in no way suggests we have our priorities wrong when, in addition to being concerned for our fellow humans, we also want to create a society in which animals are cared for and respected properly. That is a tribute to human dignity.

One of the more regrettable features of the budget is the way in which it further penalises one-income married couples. It has hit such couples harder than single people and extended the philosophy of tax individualisation. The tax burden on a one-income married couple on €45,000 per annum will increase by almost €200 more per annum than for a single person on the same income. Such a couple will almost certainly have dependent children. Why is the Government increasing the tax burden on such couples beyond that on a single person who is likely to have no dependants? This is perfectly in line with the four-year plan which, regrettably, proposed a direct attack on stay at home mothers and appears to be a sop to the IMF and the European Commission. From where is this hostility coming? Who is behind the agenda to force women, in particular, into the workplace and children into day care as a priority? Families should be allowed to make their own decisions. Those behind this decision see no value or role to be served by one parent staying at home to care for their children or an elderly relative. That is regrettable.

Given the tentative proposal to reduce public service salaries by introducing a cap of €250,000 per annum, will the Leader find out from where that figure came? Could the Government not be more adventurous and propose a lower cap of, say, €150,000 per annum?