Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 11, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following:"3. The Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann an analysis of the tax changes in this Act, and the total of tax changes and spending adjustments of Budget 2015, setting out the continuing impact on people based on their gender, income, age, marital and disability status.".

We discussed at a meeting of the finance committee Sinn Féin's long-term policy of having equality budgeting at the heart of what we do in Leinster House and across the island. There has been growing momentum in this regard among campaign groups and advocacy groups dealing with people at the coalface. They demand equality budgeting and believe it is a practice that the Government should not fear and that it is very necessary.

As the Minister knows, my party has published legislation in this area. He and his colleagues in the Labour Party have voted against it. At the time of the vote, however, there was a suggestion that the Government would introduce some type of equality budgeting, but it has not materialised. I heard the Minister's comments on Committee Stage to the effect that the analysis at the back of the budget book of the financial circumstances of couples, including couples with children, and various other earning groups is a form of equality budgeting and a means of outlining the impact on certain people in society. This is a far cry from what is suggested in the Sinn Féin legislation and the amendment before the House tonight. The amendment is about ensuring that the continuing impact on people based on their gender, income, age, marital status and disability status will be assessed before and after any major budgetary decisions. Equality budgeting should not be just an issue in terms of the budget itself because, when dealing with big policy areas, we should be always conscious of the impact on various sections of society.

This amendment is a very clear attempt by my party to make equality budgeting a standard part of budgeting each year. There is nothing really to fear but the Government obviously fears something in respect of putting equality budgeting at the heart of its assessments of the impact of various sectors. This is clear from its taxation measures. Euro for euro, the biggest benefits rest with the higher income groups as opposed to those on the average industrial wage, the minimum wage, or less. When one takes into account factors such as the water charges that are coming down the line and other pressures, one realises those with a very low disposable income will feel the brunt of the budget the most.

I commend the amendment to the House. I am not confident the Government will accept it given its track record in equality but my party and I feel very strongly about it.

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