Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As republicans, equality is at the heart of all we believe in and we strive to achieve it every day in the course of our work and activism. We believe in a new Republic, one where all citizens are equal regardless of the colour of their skin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, where they live or what they do. Creating the conditions for establishing an equal society means recognising that many diverse groups and sections of Irish society need enhanced protection from the State. We must ensure that when we are making budget decisions, these people are to the fore of our minds. These individuals, who are our most vulnerable citizens, need to be protected. We all know that times are hard in Ireland in 2014 but what some of us fail to recognise is just how difficult they are for the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. This Government came into office on a wave of promises in 2011. Soon afterwards, it became apparent that many of their plans involved taking from some of the most vulnerable.

In order to create true equality, we must put the necessary mechanisms in place. This is one of those times. In July of last year, Sinn Féin introduced the Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2013. We were seeking, by means of this Bill, to amend existing legislation and provide for equality proofing of Government policy and budgets and public bodies through impact assessments. Our Bill was rejected. Had it been accepted and passed, it would have ensured that in exercising their functions Government and public bodies would do so in a way that is designed to reduce the inequalities of outcome which result from socioeconomic disadvantage. The legislation in question also recognised those additional sectors of society which require enhanced protection from the State in the context of policy and spending decisions. I refer here to rural dwellers.

If we used equality budgeting, we would ensure that equality is placed well and truly at the centre of any decisions concerning public expenditure and income. We now know that the economic policy measures introduced since the beginning of the economic crisis are having a disproportionate impact on certain sections of society and that the problems of inequality and poverty have been exacerbated as a result. Women, particularly those with children, are more reliant on public services and welfare provisions, all of which are currently being severely curtailed by the Government. Reductions in health expenditure have resulted in reductions in services for people with disabilities. We have witnessed, and continue to see, increases in inequality and poverty and there is growing evidence highlighting the disproportionate impact economic policies have had on disadvantaged groups since the beginning of the economic crisis. Equality budgeting has been internationally accepted as a means to effectively deal with inequality and poverty. Over 60 countries worldwide have either adopted or are working toward introducing equality budgeting. The time has come for Ireland to follow suit, make a stand and provide a more just and equitable society for all. This is our duty as republicans. Equality budgeting makes sense and it is fair.

The motion calls for a reduction - over successive future budgets - in the income gap between social welfare rates and the income required for a minimally adequate standard of living. The Government amendment states that detailed distributional impact analysis of tax changes is already included in budget documentation. It is great that it is included but does the Government actually intend to take action? There is no commitment to equality in what is outlined.

The Government also states that there is a commitment on its part to invest substantial resources in increasing and improving the social housing stock. It also lauds the housing assistance payment, HAP, as a method of supporting social housing needs. HAP is a repackaged rent supplement which offers the ability to work as the only improvement in a climate of job scarcity and at a time when wages are decreasing to a point where many workers are not better off being in employment. The Government's strategy on housing is to spin and repeat and recycle figures in order to pretend that it is doing great things. The Government's announcement earlier today amounts to a budget of just €633 million per year during the next six years. That is just €36 million more than what has been spent in the current year, when homeless figures rose along with the numbers on the housing waiting list. In the six years between 2008 and 2013 almost €1 billion more was spent on housing than the Government is promising to spend during the next six years. Most of the investment it is promising to make relates to a time long after it will have been thrown out of office.

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