Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am asking it to recognise that families have to live and to exist day to day and week to week and that they are struggling badly. For the life of me I cannot understand why the Government resists what is so obviously needed. We need a comprehensive, targeted set of measures to give people support and breathing room in the here and now. The idea that they can wait until October as the Government decides on its package is simply not fair and not acceptable. I fear that the Taoiseach is being dismissive of the real-life experience I am setting out for him. I appeal to him again to do the right thing and to deliver this comprehensive package with urgency and with an emergency in mind. We need this emergency budget.

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