Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

Tá brón orm. I got caught up in the finance committee. It was all fascinating, so I am sorry about that.

I would like to ask about the impact of the expenditure cuts on lower and middle income families. I know the Minister is going to publish the comprehensive spending review. I understand that it is a very detailed document. I wonder about an impact assessment for those on fixed incomes, low incomes and so on. How will the Government measure the impact of the upcoming cutbacks on people's spending power?

I am sure I do not have to rehearse the statistics on things such as unemployment levels. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has published shocking figures showing the increase in the use of its services, not least in Dublin and Cork. We currently have 161,000 family carers providing support for elderly, the unwell, and people with disabilities. The Government has already cut the fuel allowance and the electricity and gas allowance. The housing association Respond has noted that 14.1% of the population is at risk of poverty, while one in every eight mortgages is in distress. That is a whistle-stop tour of the misery.

The Government's preoccupation with balancing the books is not without reason. We have just had a very interesting conversation at the finance committee with the new fiscal council. That debate about what works best-----

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