Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

I agree with the amendment to the Order of Business. We need this debate today. I listened to Senator Boyle, who infuriated me when he spoke about Senators. As a member of Sinn Féin in this House, I only accept the average industrial wage and the rest of the salary does not go into my pockets. It is instead invested in the constituency. I have two children under the age of five and my wife is going through third-level college, so I know exactly what people are suffering in this budget. It has an impact on the low and middle income earners.

The decision to cut the early child care supplement is an absolute disaster which will seriously impinge on the choice of parents to send children to crèches.