Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

They are killing off any prospect of the economic growth the Government claims to want to see.

It was clear from our engagement that on issues such as tax reform, public spending and social welfare payments, the Government has significant scope in the policies it can pursue. Will the Minister tell us today what issues are on the table and what choices he proposes to make? Will cuts to basic rates of social welfare be on the table? Will there be cuts in payments to the most vulnerable families?

Will the Government consider cuts to the extravagant salaries paid to its own special advisers? I have pursued this issue on many occasions with the Minister's colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to no avail. Indeed, the salary cap for special advisers is more honoured in the breach than in the observance. Will the Government finally show leadership on this issue? The Tánaiste's two special advisers are paid €168,000 and €155,000 respectively. The salaries of the advisers to the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform also breach that cap. Will the Government deal with that matter?

Are tax increases for those earning more than €100,000 on the table or does the Government intend yet again to protect the high rollers and levy all of the pain on those families on low and middle incomes?

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