Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gan amhras, is buiséad millteanach, cruálach agus dona é buiséad 2013. Aontaím lies an Taoiseach faoi Fhianna Fáil ach ní féidir leis an locht a chur ar na daoine eile mar gheall as beartais an Rialtais seo. The CSO figures released today show that the economy contracted by 0.4% between July and September. It is clear that the economy is flat and this cruel budget will make matters worse. The Government is inflicting more debt and more hurt on households. To their shame, Government Deputies are voting for harsh cuts to child benefit and the respite care grant and forcing desperate householders to seek assistance from wonderful charities like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Barnardos and others. Today the Government will, with the minimum debate, impose the maximum debt on households by way of the family home tax.

This is not the only charge households are facing. I understand that patients, including cancer sufferers, will have to pay more next year for hospital stays. Meanwhile, waiting lists for operations grow longer as public services are starved of funding. At the same time, the Government has torn up its pledges on education. The increase in the pupil-teacher ratio from 17.1: 1 to 19.1: 1 for post-leaving certificate programmes is of particular concern. As a former teacher, the Taoiseach should be aware that this will result in the loss of hundreds of teaching posts and the cancellation of courses. Many young people who look to this process to progress beyond secondary education will be robbed of that chance. The Government talks about encouraging people to upskill and retrain in order to get a job, but the decisions it is taking totally subvert this. In my constituency of County Louth, there will be a loss of up to eight teaching posts in two further education colleges. I am sure it is the same throughout the State. Was this decision equality-proofed? Does the Taoiseach accept that it will see teaching posts lost, training courses closed down and job opportunities reduced?

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