Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, published the Government's summer economic statement. It clearly points to a budget in October that will have serious consequences for ordinary people. By taking a decision not to invest the €1.4 billion that is available to the Government in the upcoming budget under the fiscal rules, it is deliberately choosing once again not to address the social crises that we have in this State, crises that have been created as a result of a decade of underinvestment by this Government and previous Fianna Fáil-led Governments.

That lack of investment has resulted in hospital waiting lists of more than 700,000 people. It has resulted in 100,000 people on hospital trolleys last year alone. It has resulted in more than 4,000 children waking up this morning in emergency accommodation. Along with the crippling crisis the State faces in health and housing, we have the highest childcare costs in the European Union while our third level institutions are falling down the international ranking. Basic telecommunications remains a pipe dream for many in rural Ireland. Many struggle in fear of an extra financial burden such as a car breakdown or an unexpected trip to the doctor. It is reckless of the Government to decide that even though the money is available, it will not invest it to meet the challenges we face as a society. Instead, it is attempting to normalise lacklustre public services, which is socially and economically irresponsible.

The coming budget should be about building economic stability for all. It should be about providing access to proper public services and meaningful investment to stabilise public and personal finances. Putting a few quid in a rainy day fund is the wrong decision at the wrong time. While everyone appreciates the idea of putting a few bob aside for unprecedented events in the case of emergency, we have emergencies right here and now. They will not fix themselves. They need investment and they will not vanish overnight. Despite Fianna Fáil's constant promises to fund everything under the sun, it seems to be on board with the Government's strategy. The long and the short of it, however, is that these services will continue to be in a state of crisis unless the Government invests to fix them. The Government knows it and Fianna Fáil knows it. That is the crux of the matter. The choices to be made in the upcoming budget in October are very simple. We can choose to continue to allow these crises to prevail and deepen or we can tackle them head on. Does the Taoiseach accept that under his plans, the message to those in emergency accommodation and to the hundreds of thousands on hospital waiting lists or on trolleys is to suck it up and get on with it?

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