Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This budget did little to make life easier for working families and was a disappointment in the measures it brought forward to deal with the housing crisis and our health services, which have many difficulties and many inadequacies. While it was a disappointment, it was probably an inevitable conclusion of the alliance we have here between two very right-wing parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. While many of us could see it coming, it was a sight to behold to see Fianna Fail pretending it was not propping up the Government of the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, and that it was going to produce its own alternative budget.

There was a time when Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's finance spokesperson used to come into the House and talk about Sinn Féin's costings not bearing up to scrutiny. They seem to have given up that talk now and recognise what the people have come to know over the past five years, that when Deputy Pearse Doherty comes here to speak about budgets, he stands up for the ordinary people and represents fairness and common sense. It is impossible to improve public services, provide houses, build adequate schools and at the same time cut the taxes of the very richest in this society, which is what this budget continues to do. The capital acquisitions tax cut is an example of where we see a very small handful of people at the very top getting this cut while at the same time adequate provision is not made for our schools, hospitals and other services. The reality is that it makes common sense to have capital investment. It not only provides services but creates jobs and puts money back into our local economy.

It was ironic that Fianna Fáil came with its four-page excuse for a budget document that had no figures in it at all. It showed that it has at last given up the pretence it is an independent party. It has admitted that it is just here, on this occasion at least, to prop up Fine Gael and is the buttress to keep Deputy Enda Kenny in his Taoiseach's seat. It is doing exactly what it told voters in the previous general election it would not do. All the talk has been about holding the centre. What that means, when one thinks about it, is making sure the status quois maintained, that the old traditional centre parties stay there and hold Ireland for them and theirs. Over the past century, politics in Ireland has become a culture of favour givers and seekers and it is this kind of thing that has brought Ireland to its knees so many times.We need to change it. There is no sign of a change of that in this budget. The housing measures are little more than a present to the big developers to ensure they get a higher price for their houses. It will not help anyone starting off trying to buy a house.

We also see it in our health services. They have been underfunded for years. In Sligo University Hospital and our mental health services in Sligo, the Mental Health Commission and the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, are doing inspections. At the end of it all, the reality is the service has been depleted because of the absence of staff. There is little or nothing in the budget to ensure we get those staff replaced in those services.

There are also the home-help services for elderly people who wish to stay in their homes. The funding for those has only been increased by the tiniest amount, which will go nowhere near meeting the demand for the services required by a growing and ageing population. There is tinkering with the waiting lists, as mentioned by my colleague earlier in the context of Cappagh hospital. That is one example. The waiting lists throughout the country, even for minor operations, are growing extensively all of the time.

Another issue I must mention is rural Ireland. For some parts of rural Ireland, farm assist has been restored. That is welcome and I acknowledge that. I also welcome and acknowledge the sheep scheme as good and positive. However, there are many other matters which could have been dealt with in the budget and would not have cost much. One example is the forgotten farmers. These are the young farmers who have been farming for too long to qualify for the schemes and have been left to one side. It is not that it would have cost any money to deal with them. Usually, budgets are an opportunity for Governments to resolve issues such as this, but that was not done in this budget. There is also the issue of broadband. Fibre optic broadband would revolutionise rural Ireland if it could be brought to those areas, yet the amount of money provided for it in the budget is absolutely measly.

Finally, there is the issue of Horse Racing Ireland, whose members appeared before the agriculture committee last week. Horse Racing Ireland has been given an additional €6 million in this budget. That is a total of €66 million for the organisation. No other sector is given money in the same way. Basically, it is given €66 million and told, "That's grand, lads, spend it how you like". Horse Racing Ireland puts most of that money towards providing prize money for the richest people in our society. Consider what happens in every other sector. Take the example of the sheep grants that will be provided. The person who applies for those grants must have particular animal husbandry and fulfil certain measurable outcomes. There are no such outcomes for people in the equine industry. However, small breeders at the very bottom of the horse industry, who could with some money and a helping hand, get nothing. The people who breed Connemara ponies and the harness racers get nothing. This money is ring-fenced for the wealthiest in our society. It is absolutely ridiculous and wrong. It is a bizarre way for the Government to handle that huge amount of money. It is something that will have to be dealt with in the coming year. While the appointment of the chief executive officer of Horse Racing Ireland was the issue, it has certainly shone a strong light on something that needs to be sorted out in our society.

What we in rural Ireland call blue-light services - namely, the ambulance and fire services - are in dire straits. They are stretched beyond the limits across the length and breadth of Ireland, but this budget has done little or nothing to help them. In the next 12 months, before we return here to discuss another budget, I hope the two parties of the right will realise that the ordinary people, particularly those in rural Ireland, must be looked after and that the budget is not just about looking after those at the top, who are often tax exiles.

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