Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)

The news of a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza is very welcome. At the same time the kidnapping of five Irish citizens on Wednesday night by Israeli forces in international waters is utterly unacceptable. They include an elected Member of this Dáil, Barry Heneghan. Will there be any repercussions for Israel for kidnapping Irish citizens?

The Tánaiste bought the election with a litany of promises that he has broken. He promised students and their families that he would reduce college fees. They have gone up by €500. He promised that 40,000 homes would be built last year. That proved to be a complete fabrication. He promised tax cuts and spending increases, a combination we warned was not sustainable. He never once told people that the tax cuts would be for developers and that ordinary people would be forgotten. He promised a cost of disability payment, which would finally recognise the enormous costs of having a disability. Not only did he fail to do this but disabled people will be €1,400 worse off because of this budget according to the Disability Federation of Ireland. The Tánaiste promised to tackle child poverty yet according to the Parliamentary Budget Office, this week’s budget will push even more children and more older people into poverty.

During the TV election debate the Tánaiste said the Fine Gael manifesto was proposing that within 100 days of being in Government capping monthly childcare costs per child at €200 per month. He has completely and utterly broken that promise. His promises on childcare have left parents feeling betrayed. He made putting costs for childcare one of the central planks of his election campaign. He has just published his first budget and childcare costs were not reduced by a single cent. I have been contacted by parents who are at breaking point trying to pay these enormous childcare fees. One mother told me she is paying €20,000 a year for her two children. It is simply not sustainable. She was expecting this budget would take some of that pressure off and reduce costs. She feels deeply betrayed by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

There are parents who, as we speak, are asking themselves whether they can afford to go back to work. There are couples all over the country who are wondering if they can afford to have another child because paying thousands in childcare costs is just impossible. They cannot do it. These families feel betrayed by the Tánaiste and his budget. Does he understand why they feel let down? What happened to his promise to cap childcare fees at €200 a month within 100 days of taking office?

See this speech in context