Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Why is the carer's allowance means test change not available to them in January and why did the Government single them out as the only category of people who must wait a further six months? It is disrespectful to carers and the work they do. As I said, what needed to be done here was an announcement of the abolition of the means test. This would really make a meaningful difference in the lives of carers. For many, they are locked out of the support they need.

Ó thaobh na Gaeltachta de, tchímid go bhfuil fadhb mhillteanach ó thaobh líon na gcainteoirí Gaeilge ag titim sa Ghaeltacht. Níl ach teaghlach amháin as gach cúigear ag tógáil a gclainne le Gaeilge. Caithfidh go bhfuil a fhios ag an Aire Airgeadais, an Teachta Chambers, é seo mar bhí sé ina Aire Stáit na Gaeltachta roimhe seo. Tá €6 milliún breise curtha ar fáil sa Ghaeltacht. Níl sé seo maith go leor ar chor ar bith nuair atá daoine óga agus daoine eile ag scairteadh amach le hathbheochan na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht. Tá freagra ag Sinn Féin. Chuir muid polasaí chun tosaigh a chuirfeadh €45 milliún breise isteach i gciste na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta agus a thabharfadh tacaíocht d’Údarás na Gaeltachta, teaghlaigh agus mná tí. Is cinnte go mbeadh Aire tithíochta agus Aire sinsearach Gaeltachta dírithe ar cheist na tithíochta fosta. Thabharfadh muid €500 breise in aghaidh achan pháiste a bheadh á thógáil trí Ghaeilge faoi scéim labhairt na Gaeilge. Bheadh go leor eile lena chois sin.

We have seen over the past while that the tax revenue is available. The country is recording surpluses. The Government has had time and money but it has failed to make an impact. These heightened levels of corporation tax give us a window of opportunity to address the infrastructure deficits and to build houses at scale, but we have to cut through the spin. That is why each budget the Government has announced has failed to make the difference. What people are crying out for is that this budget would not just paper over cracks. Workers are worse off in real terms than when this Government came to power-----

See this speech in context