Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

There are a number of provisions in the budget which, although long overdue, should be welcomed. A start is being made in respect of a number of areas in the welfare sphere and I wish to comment on these. The first relates to the recognition of people who provide caring services to family members. Until now, if these individuals were in receipt of another social welfare payment, they were precluded from receiving any recognition or thanks in respect of the important work they do. I welcome the fact that we have made a start on providing that recognition. I accept that it is only a half-rate carer's allowance but nonetheless I welcome it.

The other matter to which I wish to refer in this regard is the commencement of improvements that have been promised in the area of adult dependants. This matter has been neglected in the past and it is something about which many people, particularly women, are concerned. Having given a life of work inside or outside the home, women were angry about the fact that they were not automatically entitled to pensions in their own right. In my opinion, a great deal more could have been done but I welcome at least the start that has been made in respect of the recognition of their contribution.

In the area of tax, a number of reforms were introduced by the Minister in the budget. While long awaited, these are still to be welcomed. By any standards, however, and bearing in mind the unprecedented resources available to it, what we were presented with yesterday was the very least that people could have expected from the Government. The budget's provisions go nowhere near compensating the people of this country who have been overcharged and overtaxed in so many different ways in recent years. The so-called unexpected excesses in revenue, totalling over €2 billion, speak for themselves. Regardless of the route this cash has taken to the Exchequer or how it is labelled, all of that €2 billion originated in the pockets and purses of ordinary taxpayers.

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