Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ná bíodh dabht ar bith ar éinne sa Dáil faoi cad go díreach a bheidh i gceist má chaitheann siad vóta i bhfábhar an Bhille seo. Déanfaidh an Rialtas cinnte de go mbeidh cáin ar liúntas máithreachais. Beidh an Rialtas ag fáil réidh le faoiseamh PRSI. Déanfaidh siad réabadh ar liúntas leanaí. Beidh gearradh de beagnach 20% á dhéanamh ar an ndeontas faoisimh a fhaigheann cúramaithe.

This is one of the lowest and meanest budgets and this Bill is draconian in all its provisions. How out of touch with reality the Minister is in this regard. I believe she has an opportunity to reflect on it. I appeal to her to talk to the Chief Whip to delay this until such time as she has managed to grapple with her conscience and come in here with a Bill that supports and protects those people who are on social welfare in this State.

The Minister said in her speech: "While I understand the disquiet felt by those affected by the measures in this Bill, it is also fair to point to the large numbers of social welfare recipients whose incomes are entirely unaffected by the budget because their payments have been preserved". There is no social welfare recipient in this State who has been unaffected by this budget. The Government has by its measures in the Social Welfare Bill, and the other measures it has promised, dipped into their pockets and it is screwing ordinary people in this society.

It was only some weeks ago that Ministers were out campaigning for a "Yes" vote in the referendum on children's rights, a proposal I supported. The Government promised that children would be defended and resources put in place to that end. Among the first actions it has taken, however, has been the reduction in child benefit, the back to school clothing and footwear allowance and funding to VECs. Every one of these measures is an attack on the children this Government undertook to defend and protect in the recent referendum campaign.

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