Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

It is not fair, and once again the Government sells carers short. Is buiséad é seo atá scríofa ag Fine Gael. Tá Fianna Fáil ar nós iománaithe ar an gclaí ag breathnú air. I measc pacáistí móra cánach, tréigeann an buiséad seo oibrithe agus teaghlaigh chun aire a thabhairt dóibh siúd atá ar bharr an dréimire. Níl giorrúchán ar bith ann do ghnáthoibrithe, ach tá gearradh mór cánach do thiarnaí talún agus forbróirí. Tá daoine fágtha in áit na leathphingine. Níl gníomh ar bith ann chun an tsáinn a stopadh agus praghsanna ag ardú as smacht. Tá na gealltanais Rialtais scriosta agus caite sa bhosca bruscair ag ceann de na rialtais is measa riamh.

Seven months ago, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil entered a grubby deal with Michael Lowry, a politician who has always shown up for those on top, by all means necessary. They tried to con ordinary people by telling them at the time that their deal was really about delivering for them, but nothing could be further from the truth. You see, it was all about self-interest and maintaining power. They would stop at nothing to protect their positions, even when it meant taking an Teachta Lowry and making him kingmaker in their Government. This is a man, remember, whose actions as a Minister were found by a tribunal to have been, "profoundly corrupt to a degree that was nothing short of breathtaking". In that grubby deal, the well-being of workers and families, and their entitlement to a good life, was not even on their radar, barely an afterthought. It was all about delivery for the privileged few over the needs of the many. So it is with this budget, which abandons workers and families to look after those at the top - a most irresponsible strategy and approach. At a time when the State has an abundance of wealth, the Government chooses to use that wealth to feather the nests of the golden circles and to cheat working people of their fair share. The same Government wastes millions in taxpayers' money on bike sheds, security huts, replacement walls and renting offices that lie empty. However, when it comes to helping workers and families the cupboard is always bare. Its promises are made only to be broken and, with no general election in prospect, as workers and families really struggle at a time when they really need support, this Government walks away. It is a cynical, self-serving and jaded Government.

See this speech in context