Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We got an overview of the macro-economic situation that faces the country but there is broad acceptance of the crisis that is faced. The Opposition parties which went to the bother of putting together their own proposals to deal with the fiscal adjustment required found they were broadly in line with the size and scale of the deficit reduction which needed to be addressed. However, it is not the macro-economic situation on which we disagree with the Government. The history of what did or did not happen is not at issue. What we are here to discuss is the way in which the Government has decided to implement that €2.5 billion adjustment and, in particular, how it has chosen to spread the pain. We would argue that it has done so in a most unfair and inequitable way.

The Minister deserves some credit for consistency because this budget follows two previous ones which were, in the judgment of the OECD and the European Commission, regressive in nature. In other words, they targeted the people who could least afford to pay - the poorest and the sick - and continued to protect a certain cohort of people who are doing better. It is not Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin or anyone else saying that; it is no less than the OECD. I compliment the Minister on a hat-trick. She has delivered another swingeing attack on those who can least afford to pay. We will compliment when it is appropriate to do so.

Deputy Buttimer avoided the real issue here which is why have Fine Gael and the Labour Party continued to protect the better off in society at the expense of the poor, the marginalised and those who are sick and most in need of the protection of the State? It has been carried through in the taxation code - we will deal with that in the Finance Bill - and certainly in this Bill. It is an attack on the young, the old, young mothers attempting to bring up families and on young unemployed people and it is exceptionally unfair.

For a long time, the Labour Party in opposition bleated about this cohort of people and often referred to them as the marginalised - the people who needed our support and assistance. However, since going into government, the Labour Party has sadly abandoned that group of people. It promised much but has delivered very little in that regard. I understand why Deputy Buttimer would come into the House all guns blazing because the people who elected Fine Gael are largely untouched by the impact of not only this budget but of the previous two budgets and it seems that will continue.

On 28 October 2008 when dealing with social welfare payments, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, then an Opposition Deputy, said it has been clear for a number of years that this Government, that is, the then Government, cannot protect the sick and it is now clear it does not want to protect the elderly or those with disabilities. It would be worth reminding the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, that her party, when it crossed the floor and went into coalition with Fine Gael, continued to do what she accused the previous Government of doing but to a far greater extent, as adjudged by the OECD and others.

The Labour Party in opposition rolled out the red carpet and welcomed all on board. It took a broad net approach, told people what they wanted to hear and welcomed them on to the magic carpet but when it got into government, it pulled the rug clean out from under them. It is an appalling vista to see members of the Labour Party come into the House to attack their own Minister. I listened to what Deputy Keaveney had to say. I know he is relatively close to the Minister and has supported her in the past but he struck at the heart of what is concerning people, that is, that the Minister continues to fly this flag that somehow she is the victim in all of this. It is getting to a point where picking up the Sunday newspapers is nauseating because it is all about the poor Minister who is the victim in all of this but she is swinging the axe across the back of the neck of some people who can least afford it and that is unfair. It is a pity the Minister does not stand up and at least have the guts to admit what she is doing and not hide behind this continuous charade of not cutting core provision to people on the social welfare code. Of course, everything is packaged in how one defines "core". For those depending on a bereavement grant, that is a core component of their expenditure at a particular time when they most need it. It ill behoves certain elements in the Government to say to people to shop around and haggle with the undertaker.

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