Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is a certain irony in our being lectured by partitionist politicians on the importance of country.

Naturally, I will be supporting this motion tonight because I, like tens of thousands of fellow citizens, have lost all confidence in this Government's ability to carry out the mandate which it was given in February of last year. I do not have confidence in this Government to deal with unemployment or to stem the tide of emigration, particularly when a Minister describes it as a "lifestyle choice". I do not have confidence in this Government to protect the most vulnerable in our society or to allow the elderly of this State, who have given a lifetime of service, to live their final years with dignity, free from stress and financial worries.

On 10 November last, the people of this State voted to enshrine the rights of children in the Constitution in what the Government described as an important, if not one of the most important results of any referendum. Just four short weeks later, the same Government that talked the talk about children's rights failed to walk the walk when it came to budget 2013. The Government launched an all-out attack on children in this budget and in doing so, it continues the failed and bankrupt economic policies of those who went before it, who also happily targeted those in society who do not have, while protecting and shielding the wealthy and the golden circles in Irish society. Cuts to child benefit, the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, not to mention the despicable cut to the respite care grant are just three of the cuts contained in budget 2013.

Every day since I was elected to this Chamber I have heard the Taoiseach and various Ministers point out - and rightly - the hypocrisy and the double standards of the current Fianna Fáil position in opposing measures such as the tax on the family home, the increase in the student contribution and the attacks on carers. However, what this Government is doing is exactly what Fianna Fáil did when it was in power and what Fianna Fáil is doing now is exactly what members of the current Government did in opposition. If one is a hypocrite, then all are hypocrites. Fine Gael and the Labour Party are doing what Fianna Fáil did in government and Fianna Fáil is doing what Fine Gael and the Labour Party did in opposition.

This Government was elected on a mandate of change, a mandate of renewed hope, a fresh start or, to use the words of the Taoiseach, on the promise of bringing about a "democratic revolution". Of course, it was also elected on the back of various promises and pledges made to the Irish people. What of those promises now? What of the promise not to cut child benefit or increase the student contribution? What of the promise to protect children and those with disabilities? What of those promises? I will tell the House what of those promises. They are out of sight, stuffed down the back of the cushy ministerial couches that people like Deputies Gilmore, Rabbitte, Burton, Quinn and Howlin now enjoy resting their backsides on. They so desperately wanted those couches that they sold their souls and betrayed the people who entrusted their vote and their hope in them. All in exchange for a lousy blue shirt and a hefty pension.

What of the citizens who trusted and believed in those promises which were made by the Labour Party and Fine Gael before the last election? What do they get for entrusting this Government with their hopes and their dreams or for believing that this Government would be different from and less cynical than the previous one? All they are left with is empty political rhetoric about how this Government is making tough decisions in the interests of the State and its people. Maybe someone from this Government can tell the carers who were outside Leinster House yesterday and who will be there again tomorrow how tough a decision it actually was to cut €325 from the respite grant and not take a brass copper from their own salaries. How tough a decision was that, Deputy Sherlock? Maybe someone from this Government can explain the comments of Deputy Burton last week, when she told people, having cut the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, to shop around. In all fairness. How tough a decision is it for those parents who will struggle next July to send their children back to school?

I have no confidence in this Government and if there was a shred of decency left on the Labour Party backbenches, those Deputies would stand by the carers, the sick, the disabled and the most vulnerable in this State by supporting this motion. If they fail to do so, they are standing by the Labour Party leadership, whose only interest is self interest.

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