Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

No it has not, as the statistics demonstrate. The Minister of State should read the Clancy report on access to higher education. The provision of better health facilities and good public transport would be progressive moves. If we had made more progress with regard to infrastructure, as other countries did, over the past ten years when we had the money, we would all be more protected in this changing economic situation.

To return to the protests in recent days, the image of the people involved would warm all hearts except those of Members on the Government side. Older people and students supported themselves and each other. They were not divided and ruled by the Government promises to increase the income limits. Older people refused to be divided on the issue because it was about all of them as a community of older people. Similarly, students supported older people. The protesters were fighting for all of us as members of society and for progress and the good of all.

I disagree with the points made by Deputy Dooley. That we face economically difficult times is not reason enough to regress. The day of reckoning has come for the Progressive Democrats as it winds up as a party. The Green Party has taken on that party's aggressive and divisive ideology, which is not concerned with social protection, fraternity or similar values. Deputy Dooley talked about Government policy, namely, that in times of economic hardship one stops what one is doing and reverses. If the Progressive Democrats had the same kind of influence in the next economic boom as it had in our recent boom, the boom would be about ensuring the wealthiest do best and money would not be put into universal services such as health care. We would have private health care, thanks to Deputies Harney and Cowen and the rest of the Government.

There are many examples of progress made by governments throughout the world, not just in Ireland. The traditional Fianna Fáil, of which Deputy Conor Lenihan's father was part, made progressive changes. However, things have changed in Fianna Fáil and it is no wonder there is unease among the strain in Fianna Fáil that has social progress in mind. We can make progressive moves in times of economic hardship. For example, the abolition of fees was funded by the abolition of a tax covenant break. Basically, the money was taken from the wealthy and used to provide universal access to third level education. Similar progressive measures should be taken now. Even in more difficult times, measures were taken to improve social welfare benefits.

One has only to look back through history to see what progressive measures have been taken in bad times. We can do the same now. The Labour Party has produced a document advising what can be done to help our economy, such as investing in school buildings. Investing now will stand to us in the long term. It is similar to the situation my parents were in some time back. They were not well off, but they got a mortgage and invested in a house in which they raised their family. That is how people manage. Just because there is no money does not mean we cannot make progress.

The Green Party is a regressive party. Social progress and protection are not on its radar. Environmental progress is not on its radar either. I heard about Deputy Paul Gogarty's speech, but have not read it yet. I am not surprised by what I have heard. The Green Party is all talk, but talk is no use if one is not prepared to walk the walk. The Green Party should have been prepared to walk as soon as it realised what was in the budget. It should have said it would not vote for the budget unless the Minister removed the measures relating to the reduction in class sizes and the reduced access to medical cards.

The Green Party is not progressive with regard to the environment either. The budget also provides less money for public transport and for landfill remediation. The only reason the Green Party is in Government now is for the sake of being in Government. The Green Party is no different from the Progressive Democrats or Fianna Fáil in Government. The Green Party is regressive and will damage our environment and society while the Government lasts.

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