Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

For factual accuracy, as the Deputy well knows, when we advocated in opposition for an extension of mortgage interest relief it was in the context of the confidence and supply agreement we had. The relief was about to be phased out and we negotiated an extension of mortgage interest relief and it remained in place for longer than it otherwise would have. That is the fact of the matter, as the Deputy knows well.

We are five days out from budget day and it is undoubtedly the case that there will be a very sharp focus on the cost of living generally in the budget next Tuesday. The Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, and I are working very hard on a range of measures, both on the expenditure side and on the taxation side, to provide support to households that have been carrying a high burden over the past number of months. The Government has not been found wanting so far. We have brought forward about €12 billion worth of measures since the beginning of last year. When it comes to individual budgetary initiatives, that is a matter for next week. When we look at what was done last year, we believe much of it worked well and provides a template for further decisions that the Government can confirm next week. We are acutely conscious of the costs families are facing, costs which are unavoidable when it comes to energy, transport and mortgages. The Government will be making decisions next week to provide as much support as we possibly can within the constraints we have.

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