Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Yesterday I stated it was critical that the budget pass the test of fairness to families and the test of competitiveness and creating jobs, as well as protect children. On each of these three criteria, it failed. Families will not forget how much this budget failed them. We in this country took a decision to invest in children over a long period of time and a budget that cuts that investment cuts to the core of our value system. To cut child benefit and to tax and take money from poor families in the way the budget has is to cut to the core of families and hit at their children. Child benefit aims to support families and supports the decisions they have made on child care. However, it has been attacked in the budget which has failed families most in need. Carer's allowance, disability allowance, illness benefit, the guardianship payment, blind person's pension and the one parent family payment have been reduced. When my party suggested in its pre-budget announcements that families earning under €30,000 should be protected from cuts, it meant it. The Government should have taken that policy on board. It is galling to see the amount that is being taken from families most in need, while money is being thrown at the banks, including Anglo Irish Bank. The contrast is striking.

The other issue that jumps out from yesterday's budget is the lack of reform. I note, for example, that there is absolutely no reform of FÁS. That body's administrative costs have been left exactly as they were despite the litany of revelations about waste and the misuse of public money. What message does that send out to public sector workers who were told they must tighten their belts and accept reduced income levels, yet the Government will not deal with such reform issues? The budget did not deal with reforming the way the Government does its business. It did not suggest any initiatives on reform, so business will continue in the same old way with the same waste. FÁS is the most startling example of that. I look forward to the budget statements in this House this afternoon.