Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The establishment of Departments and changes to the Constitution are only of value if they are actioned, become a reality and inform public policy. For all of the Tánaiste's rhetoric, the truth is the youth affairs budget has been cut by 10%. This will directly translate into a 14% cut for the SWAN project in the North Wall. This project caters for 350 young people and does immensely valuable work. If its work is undermined or disrupted or services are lost, the Tánaiste must be very clear that we will lose on the double. Children and youth lose the opportunity attached to the service available to them, but the State loses too. The Government should not be penny-wise and pound-foolish in this matter. The sum of €62,000 which this project will lose might not be a big deal for the Tánaiste as it is a fraction of his own salary and of those disgraceful pensions that so many former politicians receive. Just as families on small incomes struggle with a small cut, so too do projects with lean budgets.

I put it to the Tánaiste again that these cuts are wrong and I do not believe he can stand over or defend them. Will he intervene with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, and insist on the cutbacks being stopped? Will he and the Government insist on the commitments they made to children and disadvantaged communities being honoured?

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