Dan Boyle (Green Party)

The four budgets introduced by this Minister for Finance have started to address this. Each one has been more balanced to the more needy in our society, and that has not always been the case. Given the budgetary choices available, I am glad this budget has erred on that side of the social equation as well.

The increases granted are the maximum which could have been sanctioned given the existing economic circumstances. They have been given in a climate where I have been glad that promises in the programme for Government on tax cuts have not been met. I would always look for social welfare payments to be made before tax cuts in any case. The Minister for Finance has addressed that reality and the increases of €14 and €12, under current circumstances, are relatively good.

They do not address the total needs of people in our society and there are still too many people living on an edge——