Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)

It is ordinary people who pay the price over and over again. It is like the Government does not believe workers and families are deserving of an affordable life. In every budget, it produces - in fairness to the Government - a master class in delivering for the few at the expense of the many. This budget is no different at all. The Government has no appetite for delivering a better deal for working people. It is too hard for it, too much effort and too much work to change direction to put ordinary people first once and for all. None of that was a problem when it came to striking the grubby deal with Michael Lowry and his band of merry followers. No effort was spared on that score. No bridge was too far to cross. What we have today is the budget of that grubby deal, a budget that cheats and screws over ordinary people. That is exactly what it is.

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