Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

When people voted for the Minister's party they thought they were voting to protect social welfare payments. She promised to protect the core payments but she has not done so. The programme for Government promised to protect the vulnerable but this budget is, once again, going after the vulnerable. We outlined our alternatives but the Minister rejected them. Many others have made proposals. The youth organisation, SpunOut, has made several imaginative suggestions, although I do not fully agree with them. It suggested that the bank levy could be substantially increased to avoid social welfare cuts. The Minister rejected that, just as she rejected proposals from TASC and the trade union movement. She has made the decision to cut €219 million from the social welfare budget. That cut hits local economies up and down the country. She has acknowledged that social transfers pay dividends to local economies and help people out of poverty but she is increasing the likelihood that people will fall into poverty or that small shops will close.

I reject this Bill in its entirety. I might welcome one or two small changes, which I will address on Committee Stage, but as it stands it will have devastating consequences for young and old in this State, and anybody who depends on social welfare.

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