Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Any increase in social welfare is to be welcomed but it is like a three-card trick. Look at what the Government has taken from the people. Pensions have been increased by €5, the living alone allowance has been increased by €3 and the fuel allowance has been increased by €5. Look at what has been taken from those very same people through the carbon taxes. They are already hitting people through the massive increase in the cost of electricity, petrol, diesel, gas and the basic things people need to live and move around. The prices have been increasing enormously, particularly over the past 12 months. What has the Government done to help with this? Nothing. The Government is really taking very much with one hand and giving back very little except tokenism.

In certain aspects of the budget the Government has tinkered with trying to help but there is no real or meaningful help. I and other Members in the Rural Independent Group brought forward a very comprehensive and workmanlike alternative budget and suggestions. Funding is now being given to the dental service through the medical card. In County Kerry, which I represent, we have been inundated by people who need the most basic dental treatment but have not been able to get it because their dentists have not been seeing them. This is not the dentists' fault. It is because they are not being funded.

I would, therefore, welcome any funding in that regard.

Some €250 million was provided for the waiting lists. Considering that there are nearly 1 million people on waiting lists and that yesterday I, and other Oireachtas members from Kerry, met with management of our hospital, University Hospital Kerry, UHK, Tralee, and from Cork to discuss the crisis that we have in our hospital, which nobody in government is taking on board or realising how serious it is. I have continuously said that I do not want our university hospital to be downgraded to be what I would consider a glorified community hospital. I do not want that but I do want a vibrant hospital and a new hospital in Killarney. I also want the beds upstairs in Kenmare Community Hospital to be opened. I want enhanced services and money to be spent on Cahirsiveen and Listowel hospitals. The reason is that if our community hospitals are well-financed and well-resourced with adequate staff and budgets, this will take pressure off our university hospital. That is not happening at present because the sensible very cost-effective things that could be done, like what I am suggesting in those community hospitals, are not actually happening.

On our hospitality sector, my phone nearly blew up today when the confirmation came through of the schemes that will be shut down and fact that the VAT rate will increase next year in this sector. I am proud to represent the tourism capital of the western world, County Kerry, the finest county that God put any place on this planet. We have a great record of dealing-----

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