Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The extreme peak of the Celtic tiger was in 2006. Since then, there are 350,000 more people living in Ireland, 50,000 more students in our schools, 30,000 more students going to third level and 80,000 more people receiving a State pension. However, there have been some negative developments too. Over half a million more people are medical card holders while 200,000 more are seeking jobseeker's payments. All of this has happened against the background of economic collapse of our public finances and significant changes to the lives of the people. Every budget must be measured against these parameters.

To get a steer on the way Members were approaching this debate, I listened to several contributions from the Opposition. Some were measured but one would also need a sense of humour to listen to some of the drivel that passes for debate from the Opposition. I know the Opposition parties could not have been bothered to get their alternative budgets costed by the Department of Finance. Some of the Members who receive €40,000 of taxpayers' money to run parties of one were alternating between collapsing the economy completely to the unusual suggestion that we should follow the blood sacrifice of 1916 and Irishmen and Irishwomen should start killing each other over the local property tax. That was surpassed by a former Fianna Fáil Minister lecturing the Government on how unemployment figures have impacted on people. One would never have believed he was part of a government that essentially destroyed the sacrifices Irish people made and the gains they achieved since the foundation of the State. All of these were thrown away by the former Government. It is up to this Government to restore these.

It is acknowledged by Members, especially Government Members, that circumstances are very difficult for some of our citizens and they have every reason to be angry and frustrated. Unfortunately, it is easy for some to exploit the raw anger, genuine frustration and the fears so many of these citizens have. I hope we can identify those most in need and help them as best we can as we modify this budget and government policy over the next several months. It is left to Fine Gael and Labour, as collation partners, to work together - with a certain amount of friction I accept - and debate the serious financial and social issues that so clearly need to be resolved in this country. Unfortunately, we have not got the interaction one would expect from the Opposition. The debate from Members opposite, as previous speakers have said, is just drivel and polemics from people trying to make space for themselves in the political arena rather than having a genuine concern about what some people are going through. I hope we will come through this crisis in three years' time. I hope the negativity that seems to have infected the Opposition will dissipate to some degree over time. Political opportunism will be seen for what it is by the people outside of this House. Many Ministers have made sterling efforts since we came into office to make life better for the people and minimise the impact of some difficult policy choices. It will be left to the Government's backbenchers to hold our Ministers to account to ensure these budgetary impacts are lessened.

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