Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The figures I cited were based on 2009 CSO statistics. After three more austerity budgets those incomes have been eaten into again. People are not demanding a cynical attempt by the Government to make a play on tax cuts, but rather to give them real money in their pockets. The Mandate union won a 3% increase for Penney's workers recently, backdated to 2013. Mr. John Callan, a shop steward from Dundalk, was delighted with the backpay but he spent it on the local property tax. Some 3,000 workers got 3% extra in their wages which should enable them to buy into the real economy. People on low incomes require wage increases, not tax cuts. That is what would make a difference to the domestic economy.

I do not buy into this sort of auction politics. People are demanding that these real issues are addressed by the Government, rather than playing games.

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