Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)

It flies in the face of recent launches of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, who in promoting tourism asks people to visit Ireland but they should not drive or hire a car or bus because they simply cannot afford the petrol and diesel.

The amnesia of the Government is palpable as it holds the export economy as the bedrock of growth. It must have forgotten that exports need to get to sea ports and airports, and we will watch as this erodes the haulage and export markets. I put it on record that this coalition Government has just kept saying that the problems were not of its doing, and this mantra will be followed with weakness when we need strength. The protection of vested interests will be continued. Bankers and chief executives of State and semi-State agencies who decried salary caps have not been touched. They are not carrying their share of debt. This budget stands as testament to the smoke, mirrors, spin and downright lies told to the people on the canvass last February.

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