Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ministers for the positive aspects of the budget. We do not have to go through that, to be fair, but I thank them. However, what came over the Ministers to make them introduce a levy on concrete? This is supposed to the Government with the mantra of housing for all. What did it do? It put a 10% levy on concrete blocks when people are trying to fulfil their basic needs by putting a roof over their heads. A grant was allocated for farm buildings for the storage of slurry but then it was taken away by the increase in the cost of concrete. It is absolutely ridiculous. I honestly think that a team of men and women who spent a week in the horrors of drink would not come up with such a ridiculous proposal. I ask the Government to rescind that measure. It is unfair.

The Minister promised people on the road who have been paying up to €2.20 per litre for green diesel and petrol that he would do something for them in the budget. He has not done so. Green diesel is €1.30 per litre. Hauliers, farmers and people in industry are all suffering. All the prices for tenders that were put out for public works to build houses will need to be readjusted immediately. There are no Mother Teresas in that industry. The Government will have to pay extra money for those people to build houses.

The Government talks about the fuel allowance but still forgets the people in receipt of benefit payments, including those on illness benefits, jobseeker's benefit, maternity benefit, disability benefit and occupational injuries benefit.

All those people paid stamps to get that benefit payment and, as I highlighted previously, they will not qualify for fuel allowance. It is totally unfair.

See this speech in context