Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

Budget 2008 gives a zero gain for low income earners. These are not my words but the words of CORI through the mouth of Fr. Sean Healy. I hold in my hand the document that he presented to us today.

It is no wonder the Taoiseach realised that he would at least have to postpone his own income increase of €700 per week when a couple earning €15,000 each or €30,000 per year must look elsewhere to fund the increased prices of oil, food and the essentials of life. They did not get a 1 cent increase in this budget.

Certainly, benchmarking or independent groups such as those who justified the Taoiseach's €38,000 reward are not interested in the 30% of people finding it difficult to make ends meet. Recently, a person from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul advised that this year, coming towards Christmas, their clients were not looking for special toys but for the bare essentials of life such as food.

It is hard to believe, after 15 years of constant growth, that we still find so many people in such dire need, especially children. I welcome the fact the Government has agreed to previous commitments on social housing, so that 9,000 houses will start or be bought in 2008. This will also benefit the building trade, where many houses are now unsaleable. It is vital that local authorities are not used as the relieving officers for hard-pressed builders, but that they get genuine value for money.

Motorists have once again taken a hit from this Fianna Fáil Government. Many will have forgotten by now that it was Fianna Fáil that did away with car tax, along with rates on houses, in 1977, solely to get elected. This led to the serious debt problems that brought our country close to bankruptcy. The 10% increase in car tax has nothing to do with the green agenda, but is just another stealth tax by the Government.

It is only a few months since the Government promised a reduction in taxes, increased numbers of teachers, nurses, gardaí and whatever else was wanted.

See this speech in context