Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

For this Government the golden rule is that he who has the gold makes the rules. It is time for a new Government which follows the rule of the people, by the people and for the people and that delivers budgets which can deliver the transformative change that will fix the socioeconomic problems we face. This will ensure our political system is responsive and capable of responding to the needs of voters.

Our budget puts workers and families first. It wants to invest in our people and public infrastructure. It wants to make housing a right and not an asset class. It wants to make healthcare accessible on the basis of public need and not private greed. Some of our critics like to dismiss our arguments. They say we are unrealistic and, indeed, they actually say we are populist. We should not listen to the naysayers and defenders of the status quo. These are the people who see things as they are and ask, "Why?" We are a party that is planning for things that never were and we are asking, "Why not?" Ministers, change is coming; your time is up.

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