Mary White (Fianna Fail)

It was during that time the Minister of State with responsibility for children was given a Cabinet position. The former Senator, Kathleen O'Meara, and I consistently pursued the issue. We are privileged as we have the highest birth rate in Europe, which is unique, and other countries are desperately trying to get people to have more children. These cuts will go against people having a large family, and I am beginning to think Fine Gael is like the Tea Party movement in the United States because it has become so right wing. Those associated with the Tea Party movement argue they do not have any responsibility for people who do not earn a living or to provide an income or welfare payments for people. Fine Gael is becoming more like that.

I do not want to hold up colleagues but I must point out that these measures militate against large families. A family with four children will lose €430 per year on benefit and it will pay at least €400 extra with VAT. It will pay €144 extra for the drugs payment scheme and €100 for the household charge. I could not be here last week but there is a €10 surcharge for older people who cannot pay by credit card or cheque and who must pay cash. Many older people do not have access to credit cards or cheques. With motor tax, excise duty and carbon tax, the family will pay a minimum extra of €100. If the family is fortunate enough to have health insurance, the VHI has indicated that a typical €2,000 premium will now cost at least an extra €1,000. The budget hits large families and can cause additional expenditure of up to €2,276. It is something else.