Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome a second opportunity to make a contribution on the budget. I also refer to the fact that we have had a chance to reflect on it. With the size of the budget and the money involved we will need a lot more time. Again, to quote Social Justice Ireland, this budget will leave a "regressive legacy". It welcomes the good things, as do I, but overall it points out that a couple with only one earner on €100,000 is better off by €73.35. That includes TDs like myself in the Dáil. We are all better off as a result of the budget. However, a couple with one earner on €30,000 is only better off by €3.34. Social Justice Ireland goes on to show that despite the vast resources the Government's five budgets have been cumulatively regressive. I could spend a few minutes welcoming the good things, so let me place that on the record. What is difficult for me, and I am here since 2016, which I think is eight or nine budgets, is that now more than ever we have no choice but to bring in a different type of budget framed within transformative action. I spoke about that yesterday. We are in a republic 75 years and we are not a bit embarrassed. Not alone are we not embarrassed but we believe that if we do not talk about something, it is not happening. In the two beautiful speeches of many pages yesterday, homelessness was not mentioned - 14,486 people were not mentioned in either of the speeches. That tells us a lot. To understand this budget, we need to understand what is happening on the ground. How could two senior Ministers give two speeches and not mention homelessness of the extent that it is? Again, Social Justice Ireland points out how it has increased and increased. The number of homeless people accessing emergency accommodation in August this year reached a record of 14,486. I do not think I could say that number often enough because that does not even capture hidden homelessness. Social Justice Ireland points out it sets a new high for each passing month:

This marks a staggering 71 per cent increase since the introduction of Housing for All [which is really housing for some] and a 122 per cent increase since the previous strategy, Rebuilding Ireland. The Government is presiding over the worst homelessness crisis on record. The current strategy is not working.

I have said on record that I appreciate the work Social Justice Ireland does. I do not agree with everything it says, but I thank it for its analysis and preparatory work before the budget. I also thank the Parliamentary Budget Office.

Why am I standing here, when so many good things are in the budget? We have raised the minimum wage. We have given money to parents. We have given once-off measures to help with the cost-of-living crisis. These are all welcome. We have put money into the social sector. I know the PPNs are close to the Minister of State's heart. However, we have done that within a context that is not even outlined. Most of our energy still comes from non-renewable sources, despite efforts for onshore and offshore wind energy. There is no hope in Galway city with regard to housing. There is very little hope regarding the number of people on trolleys. I quoted the figures of 52 for yesterday - 1,000 on trolleys in one month. Surely, within a budget we would begin to look at that and analyse why that is happening. It is happening because of underinvestment for years, but also promotion of private health and private medicine, which is benefitting and making profits.

Indeed, the Doughiska clinic and the one in Dublin were able to announce huge expansion plans lately. My belief, and I could be wrong, is it is because they know they can rely on public money with public patients going in there as part of our system.

Ba mhaith liom díriú isteach anois ar chúrsaí Gaeilge agus an easpa físe agus an gá a bhí ann cur leis an mbuiséad ó thaobh cúrsaí Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachtaí de. Níl i gceist sa bhuiséad ach méadú suarach ó thaobh an méid a bhí, agus atá, ag teastáil. Tá mé i mo bhall den choiste Gaeilge agus le hocht mbliana anuas táimid ag éisteacht go géar agus go cruinn le dreamanna éagsúla atá ag teacht os ár gcomhair faoi cé chomh deacair is atá sé saol inmharthana a bheith ag duine sna Gaeltachtaí. Tá gá le treoirlínte ó thaobh cúrsaí pleanála. Tá gá le tuilleadh airgid d'Údarás na Gaeltachta ionas go mbeidh sé in ann feidhmiú mar is ceart. Níl i gceist ach thart ar €6 mhilliún breise; airgead suarach i ndáiríre. Tá na heagraíochtaí ar an talamh, cosúil le Conradh na Gaeilge agus Bánú, ag rá linn go bhfuil gá le méadú suntasach chun na haidhmeanna a chur chun cinn le cinntiú go mbeidh Gaeltacht inmharthana againn. Is dócha go bhfuil easpa iomlán tuisceana. Bhí sé sin le feiceáil freisin sna hóráidí gan focal Gaeilge. Bhí abairt amháin i dtús na hóráide agus abairt ag an deireadh ag an Aire, an Teachta Chambers. Ní raibh focal ag an Aire eile. Is sampla é sin don easpa tuisceana, cuirfidh mé mar sin é, ó thaobh na Gaeilge de. Gach lá, tá daoine ag impí orainn agus ar Chathaoirleach an chomhchoiste, beart a dhéanamh, na treoracha pleanála a fhoilsiú, neart cumhachta agus neart acmhainní a thabhairt d'Údarás na Gaeltachta ionas go mbeadh sé in ann na dualgais atá air a chomhlíonadh ó thaobh fostaíochta, teanga agus pobail. Níl an t-údarás in ann é sin a dhéanamh. Níl i gceist ach méadú beag. Ní bheidh sé in ann tithíocht a chur ar fáil nó cuí a chur ar na foirgnimh atá aige atá folamh. Ní bheidh sé in acmhainn é sin a dhéanamh agus tá gá le tuilleadh maoiniú dó.

I will finish on two things that capture for me the complete lack of vision and disrespect for people. First, is the help-to-buy scheme, which has now been renewed until 2029. Every single review has said not to do this, that it is costing too much and keeping the prices too high. The last thing I will say is that I welcome the increases in children's allowance although I would have much preferred a children's allowance increase on an ongoing basis. There are three. A double payment and a payment for newborns. I find it extremely cynical that this Government would value newborns while pushing through a mother and baby redress scheme that gives no value whatsoever to children under six months who spent time in mother and baby homes. I will finish on that but I find it ironic and unacceptable. It really captures the absence of solidarity with ordinary people on the ground.

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