Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Finance Bill, which underpins many of the budget announcements made last month. It is a progressive budget, despite what some commentators would say. It is wide-ranging and well thought out, and it provides immediate support to many people throughout the country when they need it most. It also offers core support for the future. It exemplifies the Government’s approach to how we dealt with the Covid crisis over two years. We support businesses and people in a crisis. We are in a cost-of-living crisis at the moment, and this budget deals with it.

We have a steady and stable Government comprising the only three parties that were willing to form a Government at a most difficult time, during a pandemic, when others ran around the country telling people in Trump-type rallies that they had actually won the election. We resisted the reactionary call from across the benches. The Members opposite wanted us to react with an uncosted and ill-thought-out mini-budget and then try to apply an uncosted energy cap.

We have seen the dire results of that across the water. It just goes to show that it is good to have three parties that work well together and a Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform who are willing to take their time and to deliver a budget that will deliver and is delivering for people out there.

I spoke about examples like the lump sum for the fuel allowance, the living alone allowance, the working family payment and the carer’s allowance, the double payment for child benefit and the weekly welfare schemes, and the assistance for students and for their parents. Other items were able to continue through this budget as well, such as the very substantial and significant cuts to transport fares. They are real cost-of-living benefits that accrue to students, younger people and to their parents.

The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, introduced a 25% reduction in childcare costs. It is the most significant State intervention in childcare costs in the history of the State, and we will go further next year.

I hear many people across the House criticising the retrofitting scheme. I refer to the comments today of Adrian Joyce, the secretary general of EuroACE and campaign director for Renovate Europe. He described Ireland as Europe's best designed energy renovation programme. The scheme is just starting so I ask members of the Opposition to give it some time because there is an energy crisis and we are delivering. We will roll out the retrofitting scheme.

I will speak briefly on section 84 - the vacant homes tax. I welcome its introduction. It is the first time ever we have had a tax on vacancy, and it is something we must do. We have a lot of vacant houses. The commentary ranges from somewhere between 160,000 to a much lower figure. It is not that simple, clear or straightforward to bring those vacant homes into use. They are not all suitable for accommodation. There are many reasons for vacancy in this country. This is the start of it. I do not think the figure for the vacant homes tax is high enough, but I will seek to introduce amendments on Committee Stage to try to increase it.

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