Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Government has been aware of this since September yet it took a decision which is having an enormous, devastating and incredibly damaging impact. The e-mails we are receiving on the budget describe it in language such as being "driven to despair" and "over the brink" or being "unable to deal with it". Some of those affected have mortgages while others do not. I cannot get over that any budget would impose income reductions of this size on families on very low incomes. I highlight this cut because it demonstrates the fundamental dishonesty and unfairness of the budget. The decisions and choices the Government made were wrong and it pursued the wrong strategy to fulfil certain election commitments.

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