Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)

Nearly two years ago, I sat on these benches and listened to the Labour Party leader accuse the then Government of economic treason. Many people outside this House agreed with what the then Deputy Gilmore had stated, while others were quite shocked. I am disappointed about the expectations of the people, as reflected in the election of February of last year. I refer to the hope and expectations they believed would come about as a result of changing the Government. It was hoped the Government would be more fair, would look after those who were most in need and essentially would be a better and more transparent Government. However, I can discern no difference between the policies and budgets of the current Administration and those of its Fianna Fáil-Green Party predecessor. I cannot understand how the Minister, Deputy Quinn, can claim to be a Labour Party person who represents and espouses the aims and aspirations of James Connolly and similar people, while penalising the most disadvantaged in society. I cannot understand how, in the recent budget, a Labour Party Minister, Deputy Burton, penalised people with disabilities aged between 16 and 24 and nor can I understand how the Labour Party can remain in government while penalising schools in disadvantaged areas through cuts.

The Minister had choices when drawing up the budget in Cabinet. He could have made choices that would have protected the disadvantaged, those with disabilities and elderly people. While he could have made choices that would have protected and enhanced the education system, he acquiesced and took what he considered to be the easy option. I would expect this from Fine Gael, which, after all, is a right-wing party. It is a party that represents the upper class and the privileged. It is a party that suggests education should be a privilege for those who can afford it, namely, the rich and the elite. However, I cannot understand the reason the Minister, as a member of the Labour Party, should target the most discriminated-against sections of society. The Minister's party leader's accusation against the then Government of economic treason is quite applicable to the current Administration right now.

However, I refer to other people within the Labour Party around this island. Councillor Ryan of Waterford City Council, together with the Fine Gael councillors, supported a Sinn Féin motion against these cuts. There are other Labour councillors around the country who are disgusted by what the Minister is about to do regarding cuts in provision to disadvantaged schools. One choice the Minister could have made and which formed part of the Labour Party's pre-Government proposals, pertains to a third rate of tax. Although a third rate of tax would have brought in enough money to protect people with disabilities as well as the rights and entitlements of people in disadvantaged areas, the Minister instead went for the more vulnerable and those who are most at need in our society and communities. How can he sit in this Chamber and call himself a representative of the Labour Party or of the working class? How can his party vote for and support in this Chamber a budget that is targeting those most in need in our society and communities? I cannot understand this as there are good people on the other side of the House. While I acknowledge Members opposite are disgusted with what the Government is doing, they should get off their arses and stand up to it. They should not sit there like sheep and acquiesce in what they have been told by the Government. They should get up off their knees and stand by the people in need. They should stand by their pre-budget submissions on the requirements of those who are most disadvantaged in DEIS and disadvantaged areas. Those Members should stand by what they said about education being a right for all of the people, not a privilege for those Fine Gael has always represented, namely, barristers and those who comprise the so-called elite in our society, the members of the privileged class. Now that the Minister's party is representing the privileged class, it is no different from Fine Gael. There is also no difference between this and the previous Government. The previous Government was accused of economic treason by the Minister's leader, in the same way as I accuse the Minister of economic treason for targeting the most needy and the most vulnerable in our communities who deserve support most.

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