Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am testing them and I see the Deputy's reaction. He has voted against changes that would help. He talked about disposable income. The changes I am making to the standard rate cut-off point do help with disposable income for those who are on middle incomes. We made the change to tax credits precisely so more people would benefit from the overall changes that we are making to tax policy. That is why we have done that.

On what we have done and the changes we have made, the Deputy is well aware of the measures this Government has put in place to try to support those affected by the rising costs of energy and fuel. These include changes we have made to the qualifying child payment, the living alone allowance, the fuel allowance and the working family payment, which are happening. The Deputy spoke of the reality out there of people who are watching this debate. I accept the last thing on their minds at present is the exchange between him and me on the details of our differing views. I say to those people that the reason we have made changes to carbon taxation is to use that revenue to co-fund the changes we are making to social welfare. For those who are working and on middle incomes who, in some cases, see their wages going up but also see the benefits of rising wages being offset by prices that, for many, are going up quicker, that is why we are making the changes we are to the personal tax code. That is why they are happening and they are changes Sinn Féin has voted against.

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