Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

Words comes cheap. The Minister continues to engage in the spin in which all members of the Government have been involved in recent weeks. The Minister will be judged by her actions. Her actions show clearly that she set out deliberately to hit the weakest in society. Rather than protecting the vulnerable, she has protected the rich. The Minister has protected millionaires. Those people referred to previously who earn vast salaries will not pay one extra cent in tax, nor will those who can avail of various property reliefs. None of the property reliefs have been affected although the Government could have raised €430 million through such a measure. Those with vast pension schemes that attract tax relief on more than €5 million remain untouched, as do those that earn €300,000, €400,000, €500,000 and €600,000 or more per year.

The Minister set out very clearly to target the weakest in society such as those dependent on social welfare. As the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Hanafin should be ashamed of herself because she has done nothing to protect those people who look to her to provide some social protection. The Minister should stop trying to misrepresent the situation. It is clear she had choices. A fair budget could have been introduced which could have ensured those who had most would contribute something to solve the problems. She could have protected those at the lowest levels but failed to do so. She chose to hit the weak and those dependent on social welfare and chose to ignore those who have very large incomes and a good deal of wealth. The Minister decided to leave them untouched and she will be judged by her actions, not by her untruthful words.

I wish to put a question to the Minister. During the last vote she had an opportunity to ask the Minister for Finance why he did not produce a statement on the poverty proofing of the budget, as required under the national anti-poverty strategy and in accordance with the Cabinet handbook. Will the Minister provide an answer on that matter now? Was a statement produced and, if not, why not? Does the Minister believe the Government can simply disregard the rules and regulations in place which require it to pay some attention to the impact of its decisions on the weakest?

See this speech in context