Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

In the Estimates, the Government has targeted cuts at some of the most vulnerable sectors of society. The Minister of State was not a Member of the Oireachtas when another famous slogan won a general election for Fianna Fáil. I can clearly remember the poster with Charles J. Haughey beckoning in the direction of the slogan, "health cuts hit the old, the sick and the handicapped". The Minister of State and his colleagues in Government have certainly hit the old, the sick and the handicapped. Hospital and accident and emergency charges have been increased by €5 to €45. This is an increase of 12.5% at a time when inflation is predicted to run at between 2% and 3%. Nightly in-patient bed charges similarly have been increased by 12.5% from €40 to €45. The drug refund threshold has been increased by 11.4% from €70 to €78. Imagine the impact this will have on the many low income families in this State. I think of people with asthma, diabetes, rheumatism or other medical problems who are a tantalisingly €1 over the rather modest threshold for qualifying for a medical card and now have this foisted upon them.

Motor tax has also been increased even for the most modest of cars. There will be an increase from €278 to €292 for a 1.4 litre car. In many cases we are talking about young people paying off a loan on a second-hand car to carry them to and from their first job. Young people are being ripped off by high annual premiums from highly profitable insurance companies. In some cases that annual premium is higher than the value of the car. Drivers are already paying high motor tax rates and will now have to pay an additional 6% increase.