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

We recognise the intention of the Deputy in providing more constructive opposition and the different tone of it. At the same time, and with respect to Deputy Bacik, it is simply not open to the Government to be able to maintain the levels of expenditure, borrowing and intervention we had during the era of Covid. That was a unique period in our public and economic health, one that is thankfully coming to an end as the disease is put behind us. Even though it is present, it is not posing the fundamental challenge to society and the economy that it did in recent years.

I return to the point I made.

If Deputy Bacik was looking for real wage growth for workers who need wage growth, surely she would support a personal tax approach that simply looks to move income tax credits and bonds in line with wage growth in our economy. That is what we are looking to do. If workers, particularly those on low to middle incomes, get the wage increase they deserve and will need given the rising cost of living we are now facing, they should not see too much of it absorbed in higher levels of taxation as they earn more. I think there may be more common ground between the Deputy and me on that point than maybe the Deputy would admit.

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