Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

Twelve years ago, Fine Gael rolled out the red carpet for the vulture funds with sweetheart tax arrangements, and nothing has changed. Today, its policy remains wedded to the interests of wealthy property funds, developers and big landlords over the housing needs of ordinary people. The Taoiseach today described this strategy as Government policy encouraging private investment to crowd in. What that has achieved is everybody else crowded out, which he has clarified is the Government's approach. This budget again fails the necessary work of bringing home ownership back within the reach of working people, building the affordable and social homes needed, banning rent increases for three years, delivering the investment needed to end the housing emergency and to restore the hope of a generation. It is a big fail on the Government's part.

I come to broken promise number six. Eight years ago, Simon Harris promised that no child would wait longer than four months for spinal surgery for scoliosis. That promise, as we know, was broken again and again. Harvey Morrison Sherratt was one child left waiting. He died in July. His heartbreaking death should and must be a tipping point for this Government when it comes to the delivery of healthcare. However, in this budget, it knowingly underfunds the health service. It delivers a recipe for deepening catastrophe that sees our hospitals overcrowded, accident and emergency departments under huge pressure every day, a year-round trolley crisis and hundreds of thousands of people on waiting lists, waiting just like Harvey did. The Disability Federation of Ireland has described this budget as, "A devastating setback for disabled people unable to work." It states the Government's investment will reach only a fraction of the 1 million disabled people who need support. It has removed the one-off payments that made a difference last year, so it takes a backward step addressing the additional cost pressures people with disabilities face every day. It has increased the disability allowance by €10. That is insulting. It should have doubled that and increased it by €20 to give disabled people real help with the cost of living, but they have been left behind again. Fine Gael has been in government for nearly 15 years. At its rate of investment, it will take it nearly 14 years to deliver its seven-year bed plan. There is really no plan in the end. There is no sign of new money for women's health and endometriosis, nothing to reduce the cost of healthcare and no money listed for critical national strategies such as cancer, maternity and cardiac care. The Government has the opportunity and the resources to transform the health service by investing and innovating, but it makes no effort. It has no vision. It is just the same old script again and again.

On broken promise number seven, the Government promised to abolish the carers means test. Our carers are the best of us, and they deserve respect and recognition. They deserve action from the Government that relieves the daily pressure they come under as they do their amazing work. The Government's election promise was specific, and it was clear - to scrap the carers means test. The budget should have delivered on that promise, but at the rate of investment provided for in this budget, it would take more than a decade to abolish the means test. That is not right.

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