Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

If it looks like a rose and smells like a rose, it is a rose. This sounds like a mini-budget. If there is a finance Bill, it sounds very much like a mini-budget. I am glad that the Taoiseach has confirmed that there will be clarity on Tuesday. Will we have a Dáil debate next week? Are people likely to know next week what the nature of the measures will be, which ones will be targeted and which ones will be universal? It would be reasonable to give legislators in this Chamber some indication of a timeline for the introduction of these measures. I agree with the Taoiseach that speculation is unhelpful. There has been speculation on things like a 30% tax rate, for example. These kite-flying suggestions are simply not helpful in the context of struggling families and households.

I want to finish by referring to the Mandate report that was launched today. I was glad to meet Mandate earlier and to hear directly from it about the stark examples and situation of so many of its members, 64% of whom earn below €451 per week. That is in a context where, in Dublin, average monthly rents are €2,324 per month. This figure illustrates the shortfall for so many people who simply cannot afford even to pay rents, let alone meet the other bills that are spiralling. I ask the Taoiseach to give us clarity on the timeline for next week now that we have established that next Tuesday will be critical.

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