Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In every part of the State citizens are discussing this legislation at length, except in this institution, which is responsible for bringing in the legislation. The Taoiseach offered several reasons for rushing it through. He said that we had to get our business done because this had to go to the Seanad. It is up to this Chamber to order our own business. The Taoiseach does not even want the Seanad to be there. It is up to this Chamber to order our own business and for the Seanad to fit into our timetable.

The Taoiseach said there were no takers for the debate time provided for the X case and the A, B and C v. Ireland case. We gave formal notice that none of our Teachtaí Dála wanted to talk on that issue and that we had talked on that issue but we wanted to see the legislation. We gave notice and we asked for a debate on the Social Welfare Bill and particularly on the budget.

Finally, the Taoiseach said this had to be passed to allow social welfare payments to continue. That is not true. There is legislation to allow social welfare payments to continue. I call on the Taoiseach to withdraw that remark. We need to have a debate that reflects the seriousness of what the Government is doing, which is in direct opposition to what it was mandated to do. Those who want to vote for this should be able to stand up and argue why they want to take money off carers and reduce child benefit, why they want to tax maternity benefit, why they want to take money from children through cuts to the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance and why the Government wants to put a tax on the family home as opposed to on the wealthy.

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