Dáil debates

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed)

 

7:10 pm

Photo of Eamonn MaloneyEamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In our difficult environment, in which we have lost our sovereignty and in which our day-to-day operation depends on the generosity of our European neighbours, whose money must be paid back, no great credit is due to those who destroyed our country. It was difficult sitting here yesterday and today taking lectures from people who drove our children, including my own, out of the country. The other half of the population has been driven into the dole queues.

I am supporting this budget because any effort to get this country up off its knees is one that I will support. It has been acknowledged right across the political spectrum, including by me, that there are good measures in the budget. All my colleagues have referred to it. There are just two shortcomings. We have included measures in the budget on social welfare fraud. I am all for eliminating it, saving €30 million per year, but it must be realised that white-collar and corporate crime in this country cost the taxpayer 17 times more. Despite this, we are not doing anything about it. There is nothing in the budget to address it. I hope there will be in the next one.

Second, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, has included a sum of €9 million to support the elimination of adult illiteracy. I thank him for it. We have one of the worst records in this area. Some 18% of people between 16 and 65 have inadequate reading and writing skills. We must do something about it. However, although we give €9 million to solve the problem of adult illiteracy, we give €100 million to the children of the great and the good to go to private schools. We did not take a cent from them. There is nothing fair about that. I would like the budget to be fair and I expect that the next one will be fairer.

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