Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The test of any budget is whether the lives of the people of the State will be improved as a result. In the context of tax measures, there was a need for a reduction in USC but that was not delivered. We see zero-rating of certain VAT products. That is welcome. Hopefully, the savings will be passed on, most crucially, to workers and to the guests staying there.

In terms of transport, the measures are unfair on those under financial pressure. A further tax increase will affect Kerry residents who have to drive to work or use solid fuel for heating and does little for those least able to pay. Now is not the time to increase costs.

In housing and facilities, we see an increase of 7% in the amount allocated to water services and capital spend is up from €876 million to €932 million. The Right2Water movement was clear on the need to pay for water services from general taxation, something the Government was eventually forced to accept. However, the Government is being dragged kicking and screaming towards Sinn Féin housing policy in circumstances where rents, house prices and homelessness are increasing. The eviction ban is welcome but belated. There is a type of rent tax credit, but we needed a rent increase ban. We also need more social housing to combat the years of austerity.

Some of the programmes behind the overall spending allocation are incredibly important to Kerry's future. One of those is the rural water programme. According to the budget, this additional funding is being made available to support a new programme for water services for villages not on the public network. This is a massive issue in Kerry because many parishes do not enjoy proper wastewater services, access to a public water network or properly treated drinking water. Places like Glenbeigh, Castlegregory, Annascaul and Abbeydorney will not see any new developments of housing - affordable, social or otherwise. An extra €5 million is simply not enough under the scheme.

In addition, there are bodies of water in Kerry suffering from discharges. A recent Environmental Protection Agency report stated that a number of waterways in Kerry face a severe biodiversity challenge, with one third above moderate levels of pollution. This is not good enough and I have called for Irish Water to carry out assessments in Cromane, the Maherees, Tralee Bay, Valentia and the Kenmare River. I welcome the €3 million provided to meet requirements under EU water quality directives but it is not enough. Major capital investment is needed to solve the issue, especially in water treatment plants. I call on the Government to ensure this is completed in Kerry as soon as possible.

I had a conversation with a butcher from Kerry today who said he paid 11 cent per unit of electricity in 2019, 19 cent in 2020 and is currently paying 40 cent per unit. He is paying €4,000 per month and has a skeleton crew working six days per week. Every customer is affected, as are the 30 butchers in his craft butchers' section. What he wants, has asked for and needs is a cap on energy prices. He does not want the type of smart answers we got from the Taoiseach today during Leaders' Questions.

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