Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

I give a warm welcome to the yellow bellies. Fáilte isteach, ladies.

For all of the Taoiseach's big talk about phasing out the carer's allowance means test over five years, we got the truth of his position in last week's budget. Instead of allocating the €133 million that would be required for this phase-out, only €10 million was allocated for next year. At this rate, it would take 30 years to remove the means test under a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil Government.

He gave his word to carers to abolish the means test. How can he so brazenly go back on his word?

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