Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I join with the Tánaiste in congratulating Teresa and wishing Noel and Liam the very best in their new roles.

We are led to believe it will be six months until the Government produces a budget. I think the Tánaiste will agree with me that over the course of the pandemic it was proven that when the Government needs to or feels it can intervene in a swift fashion, it can do so. The Tánaiste knows there is a cost of living crisis and we are welcoming refugees from Ukraine who deserve and need our support. Surely the Government must recognise that we cannot wait six months to have a budget. We need an emergency budget. Can he commit to having such a budget between now and the summer? Is it his intention to wait six months? Families cannot wait six months for the type of intervention that is now needed.

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