Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Austerity has been a political choice for this Government. When Fine Gael and Labour entered government, they promised a democratic revolution - an opportunity to change the way that business was done in Ireland and to improve the lives of all citizens. Instead, what was delivered was a Government that hammered the poor and attacked the weakest in society instead of protecting them. Its record in government shows this. Labour and Fine Gael abolished the €300 cost of education allowance that had been payable to back to education allowance recipients. They introduced legislation in 2011 raising the pension ages in stages to 68, which is effectively a cut of 16% to pension entitlements. These were coupled with many other austerity measures which have caused untold suffering to families throughout the country. This does not seem like much of a democratic revolution but rather reflects a Government that is determined to follow its own path of ideological austerity. We are then told about what is happening in Northern Ireland. If the Irish Government wants to join with us in trying to persuade the British Government to give fiscal powers to Irish people living in Ireland, we would welcome that support but until then, it should criticise the British Government and not Sinn Féin.

There was a clear alternative to the measures imposed that was highlighted not just by Sinn Féin but by many economists, trade unions, charities and voluntary organisations. They highlighted the impacts that cuts were having on different sections of the community but they were ignored by this Government. Sinn Féin produced a costed alternative budget that offered an alternative to the austerity policies of the Government. When Sinn Féin proposed them, the Government benches laughed them off as "voodoo economics". Yet in the this year's budget when the Government offered some relief from austerity, the Government benches paraded around as if they had just discovered penicillin. Where was their caring for the poor and the weak in society over the past number of years?

While it is welcome to see a small rise in the fuel allowance, there has to be more action on helping those who are fuel poor. Fuel allowance has been increased by €2.50 per week for the applicable weeks, which is welcome. However, energy prices for domestic customers have risen by approximately 25% since 2009, so the real value of fuel supports has fallen.

This level of payment was maintained until 2012, when the number of weeks for which the allowance was paid was reduced from 32 to 26, reducing its annual value by €120. Energy efficiency programmes which can be used effectively to aid the fuel poor must also receive priority. The figure for sustainable energy programmes has increased from €43 million to €58 million for 2016. However, this is still well below the €79 million allocated in 2011 but is roughly around the €55 million allocated in 2012. The Government has promised a new scheme to help those suffering fuel poverty, but it must deliver on this promise, especially as the winter approaches.

The Government frequently complains that Sinn Féin opposes everything but does not propose solutions. Let me run this by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Michael Ring: the social protection system seems to be badly designed. It seems to be too labour intensive and expensive to process and administer payments. It lacks cohesion and seems to consist of a series of add-ons rather than being a cohesive whole. I understand following a quick search on citizensinformation.iethat there are at least 58 schemes listed. There are probably more, but why? The system seems to have been designed to be user unfriendly rather than as a clear, simple set of supports people can easily understand. Surely people are more interested in what is shown in the bottom right-hand corner, the amount payable, rather than the description on the left-hand side of the cheque. Perhaps if the whole system was rationalised, although that is a bad word to suggest to any Government because I know what it would do, and streamlined, there might be faster decisions, fewer and faster appeals and we could give a lot more financial support to those who really need it.

See this speech in context