Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

It is not a question of we cannot do everything. We have provided very effective measures in respect of child poverty in this budget, which the Deputy seems to have deliberately ignored. There is a weekly increase of €16 in the child support payment, to €78, for children aged 12 and over. That is now up to €4,056 per annum. There is a child support weekly increase of €8, to €58, for children aged under 12, which is up to €3,000 per annum. There is an increase of €10 in all core welfare rates, a €60 increase in weekly income thresholds for the working family payment for all family sizes. Families getting the working family payment will qualify for fuel allowance. There will be a €5 increase in fuel allowance per week from January. There is the back to school clothing and footwear allowance rate, which has been extended to children aged two and three who are eligible for that allowance. That is a whole series of measures that, cumulatively, will make an impact on consistent poverty. That is why we prioritised it in this budget. On the disability budget, there is a 20% increase in the allocation to core services.

In respect of housing, there is a very significant lift for homelessness.

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