Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

They are primarily people on the lower pay scale. The budget that was passed last year, for example, was a direct attack on people on lower rates of pay. No effort was made by this Government to help them. This was confirmed by the ESRI which said that the last two budgets were regressive. In other words, those who had least paid most.

The Minister knows that Labour should have insisted on an increase of taxes for those earning over €100,000. There should have been an increase on universal social charges and all Deputies know that.

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