Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil is opposed to the Bill and the provisions it contains. Budget 2013 places a deeply unfair financial burden on countless families throughout the country. It will whittle away the social safety net until only a bare thread remains. Mothers in particular are being unfairly targeted by the cuts, one of which will result in child benefit being hammered, workers are being hit by the regressive PRSI tax hike, and front-line carers are being undermined by a callous cut to the respite grant. Mothers have been hit hard. The cuts to child benefit and the back-to-school allowance and the failure to live up to the promise made by the Minister, Deputy Burton, to introduce a Scandinavian-style child care system will have a severe impact on them. The cut to child benefit is a direct break with Labour's pre-election pledge to maintain the payment. The Tánaiste, Deputy Gilmore, highlighted this pledge as a precondition of going into government with Fine Gael. The cynical betrayal of its promise to the electorate exposes the vacuum that is the Labour Party in government and leaves ordinary mothers to pay the price.

Core social welfare payments are being cut through the back door. The reduction in the eligibility period for jobseeker's benefit is simply a 25% cut in jobseeker's benefit for those who claim it during that period. The reduction in the respite care grant is a callous blow to carers working on the front line with people who require constant help. These individuals perform a vital social duty and save the State money. However, they will be penalised as a result of this severe cut.

The budget is unfair, anti-women and counterproductive. Gone are the election promises made by both Fine Gael and the Labour Party. This budget is one of the most harsh I have seen during my time as a Member of the House. I am disappointed with its lack of fairness. I do not doubt that Labour Party and Fine Gael Deputies will talk to members of the press about internal pressures. The bottom line is, however, that real people are affected. It should be easy to make the decision to vote against the Bill. Those in government were elected by the people to represent their best interests. There is no evidence of that here. This is the Government's second budget, but it seems that the economy is actually regressing and that all election promises have been truly and utterly broken.

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