Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Do the statistics out. Put them out on a page and show me how they are better off. How in the name of God can that young couple with one or two children living in Dublin, working in low-paid jobs, potentially retail or something similar, be better off? Do not start this craic of being thankful for having jobs because that is not acceptable to me. That is why this budget is a missed opportunity.

There are some good things here that I would support with regard to business opportunities and supports for businesses. I previously worked in Fáilte Ireland. I appreciate that industry and how difficult it is. The €10 million for Cork Airport and Shannon Airport is a pittance, considering that Shannon Airport is losing €1.3 million a week in revenue, but I support the measures in general.

However, the real people watching, such as the old age pensioner living in a council house in Rearcross, bringing in a bag of coal in the evening, are worried today. There is no change for the young couple with kids who are trying to get on in life. That is why, despite the scale of this budget, this is a regressive budget for real people and working people who have to make ends meet. It is not proportionate and it is not fair. That is an indictment of where the Government's priorities are in the biggest pandemic we have seen in this country in over 100 years.

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