Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

Once more, he has proved that he is only interested in protecting his own political dynasty in Kerry South. At almost every meeting of the joint committee we hear examples of how budget cuts impact severely on some of the most vulnerable in our society. We have heard from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Carers Association, One Family and various others. One after another, those groups have explained to us the kind of impact last year's budget cuts have had on the people they serve. Of course, Deputy Healy-Rae rarely stays long enough to hear the presentations. If he stuck around long enough to listen to their concerns he would know the devastation that recent Government cutbacks have caused.

There is something grotesque about our political system when a man who cares so little for the poor occupies such a prominent political position and gets paid €10,000 a year for doing very little. The truth is that Deputy Jackie Healy-Rae is really only concerned about his own survival. He and Deputies Lowry and Behan, have taken the 30 pieces of silver. They have pledged their support for cutting child benefit, the blind pension, carer's allowance, disability allowance, supposedly in the national interest. This is just political prostitution dressed up as fake patriotism. If Deputy Jackie Healy-Rae had any shame, he would give up his position on that committee and hand back the €10,000 he has received in the past year. What must the bond markets make of the fact that Deputy Jackie Healy-Rae, along with the other two amigos, has such control over Irish domestic policy?

I am also disappointed at the position Fine Gael has taken on welfare cuts. It is proposing a cut of €6 per week in the welfare rate for people of working age and this to be multiplied by three over the next three years. Like the Government, Fine Gael had choices in terms of the budget. It is bitterly disappointing that the decision was taken to hit those people who are most vulnerable in our society when there were choices. There are plenty of other people who are very wealthy who could have made a contribution and were not asked to do so.

I refer to section 5 which proposes to cut child benefit by €10 per week for each of the first two children and by €20 per week for the third child. This impacts disproportionately on low-income families because the cut represents a far greater proportion of their income. The Minister is proposing to cut income support for children, for people at the very lowest levels, at the same rate as he is cutting it for millionaires. This is the reality of this proposal.

The Minister is making no allowance for the fact that the children of people dependent on welfare or on a minimum income from a minimum wage job, should somehow be able to survive when they are put to the pin of their collar just to get by, to eat, to be able to participate in school. The Minister seems to think it is acceptable to hammer those children, the poorest children in the country, by cutting their income by €10 a week. Unlike previous Social Welfare Bills, there is no compensating payment for the poorest children or under the back to school clothing and footwear allowance. The Government has effectively abandoned its national anti-poverty strategy. A total of 92,000 children are already living in poverty. Of all groups in society they are by far the most prone to poverty. The Government has put their welfare seriously at risk. The Minister should remember that once a childhood is blighted, it cannot be reversed. This is one of the most shameful measures announced in yesterday's budget.

From a social policy point of view, the cuts in the basic rate of supplementary welfare allowance is another very retrograde step. I cannot see any justification for it. The fact is the Minister cannot get his act together in terms of his Department processing claims in a timely manner. Not only will people have to endure those delays of six to nine months but they will also be financially penalised because of the cut in the supplementary welfare allowance.

There are many other parts of the Bill which I could highlight and I will do so tomorrow. Overall, this Bill, like the budget, is about attacking the weakest. It is wrong, unfair and without doubt it should be voted down.

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