Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I mainly wish to address the budget in the context of the threats and opportunities resultant from Brexit.

This is a Governnment budget, not a Fianna Fáil one. However, Fianna Fáil has had some influence on the budget through the confidence and supply agreement. During talks with the Government over the past number of weeks, Fianna Fáil prioritised investment in public services and further protection for vulnerable individuals, families and communities.

In terms of education, I am especially pleased that the budget has provided for smaller class sizes, more career guidance counsellors and an increase in third level funding to include more critical supports for postgraduate students. As regards health, the budget includes Fianna Fáil's priority of significant new investment in the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, which will reduce the unacceptably long waiting lists for surgical procedures. It includes more funding for disability services to reduce the unacceptably long waiting times for assessments. For families and communities, because of Fianna Fáil's priorities being insisted upon, the budget includes provision for more gardaí, more affordable child care, the retention of mortgage interest relief for the negative equity generation, which is very important, and a modest increase for pensioners and those in receipt of social protection benefits, which is only the second such increase in the past ten years. The budget would not look like that had Fianna Fáil not influenced it. We know from statements made by Fine Gael members in recent months that the budget would have prioritised tax cuts and wealth creators, which is an awful phrase straight out of the Margaret Thatcher handbook of Tory politics.

The budget is far from perfect. Its most disappointing aspect is the lack of urgency and investment in solving the homelessness crisis. I listened carefully to the Minister of State, Deputy English, during the two minutes and 45 seconds he had to speak and I acknowledge significant additional capital has been made available for investment in social housing and that neither this Government nor any other could build enough houses to deal with the homelessness situation overnight. However, all Members are aware of the awful reality that there are 3,000 homeless children in the State. All Members have met homeless families and listened to the testimony of what it means for those mothers and fathers, both for themselves and in terms of what it means to raise school-going children in single rooms. It is heartbreaking and is unacceptable to the country and to Fine Gael. I was most disappointed that specific aspect of housing was not dealt with.

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