Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)

The Sinn Féin motion maintains that the community and voluntary sector is being hollowed out by decisions made by the current Administration. I suggest we cast an eye over that party's record in the North in recent times and it will be clear that Sinn Féin is involved in implementing swingeing cuts to the community and voluntary sector resulting in job losses, a reduction in service and distress to vulnerable people. As recently as 22 September, the Department of Social Development in the North confirmed that it had reduced by 25% its funding to infrastructural support organisations providing services to the voluntary and community sector at regional level. This will have a direct and detrimental effect on the community and voluntary sector across the Border, yet Sinn Féin Party Members attend this House and pontificates about the need to preserve services here while it is signing off on cuts affecting the most vulnerable across the Border.

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