Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Most people across the country agree that last week's budget was deeply unfair and a very brutal one on the poorest and lowest income families. Today sees the commencement of the Social Welfare Bill. What has emerged from all of the disarray within Government prior to the formulation of this particular budget is the absolute determination of the Fine Gael members of Government to protect, at all costs, the wealthiest in society.

We were told over the weekend that the Labour Party members walked out of that fateful Cabinet meeting on the budget because of Fine Gael's insistence that welfare rates across 31 schemes would have to be cut if the universal social charge was increased. This has been leaked authoritatively by the Taoiseach's sources and Ministers. The Labour Party walked out at that moment against that insistence, but the big question is why it walked back in again.

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