Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

Budget 2009 is a watershed, which has shown the true colours of this Fianna Fáil-dominated Government. It is ironic that during the weeks when we bailed out some of the fattest cat bankers, low and middle income families, senior citizens and children were forced to carry the can for the mistakes of Governments over the past 11 years, as my colleague outlined. I echo my party leader's comment that the Government has no mandate to attack senior citizens, children and low income workers in the way it has, given the change in Government from that which managed to sneak in June 2007 to the three amigos — the two Brians and the Tánaiste — who are dominating the current Government. The solution to proceed, given the severity of the difficulties faced by the country, is to call a general election. If the Government has confidence in its proposals, we should have a general election as soon as possible.

I refer to the many savage cutbacks, which my colleague, Deputy Shortall, called 30 treacherous cuts in the social welfare budget. One of the meanest relates to the jobseeker's benefit. Many thousands of young workers are facing unemployment for the first time and the Government made the conditions for accessing this benefit more difficult in a most mean-spirited move. The 1% levy, as originally promulgated, was an amazing attack on low income workers, particularly those on the minimum wage. The thresholds that have been mentioned in the context of amending it are too low given the struggles of low paid workers.

Like all other Members, I have been inundated with telephone calls and e-mails. The first person who visited my clinic last Saturday was a 94 year old senior citizen who was desperately upset that a Government he supported at times in the past had reneged on its commitment to senior citizens. The fear felt by him and 350,000 other senior citizens last week can only be experienced first hand by speaking to them, as I hope Fianna Fáil and Green Party Members will do tomorrow when we have the opportunity to meet tens of thousands of them outside Leinster House.

The education cutbacks are equally harsh and every time we turn around, another is discovered. For example, a number of classes in St. Colmcille's school in Donaghmede will have 43 children next year. St. Peter and Paul's school in Baldoyle has campaigned for a lower pupil-teacher ratio and most of the children will learn in classes of well over 30 next year. The same will apply in the Cathaoirleach's constituency of Cork North-Central and throughout the State.

We feel a little let down. Before last year's general election the INTO general secretary, Mr. John Carr, was dancing around on a platform with the former Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin, during a love-in at the trade union's annual conference. I presume there was a feeling the Government had made solemn commitments to the teaching profession, but 15 months later they are totally in shreds.

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