David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

The disability allowance has been cut and in my view this is one of the cruellest cuts from any Government in a long number of years. To cut the allowance of young people who are disabled is an absolute disgrace. Child benefit has been cut and also rent supplement and the lone parent allowance. It is an untruth for anybody from the Government to say that social welfare rates have not been cut because a disability allowance is a social welfare rate. The disability allowance is a social welfare rate and the Government cut it. The Labour Party and Fine Gael cut it. This budget is a budget of broken promises because Labour, in particular, promised not to cut child benefit and it has. The Labour Party also promised not to increase student fees and it has. This is a budget of broken promises. The Government parties have not done what they said they would do in advance of the election which is, to protect the old, the weak, the vulnerable, students, young people. They have gone after people who cannot defend themselves such as people with disabilities. This is a very bad budget and there will be more today. There will be a 2% increase in VAT and a household charge of €100. When will this Government learn from the previous Government that austerity and cuts will simply not work?

There are families who do not have any more money to give. The well is dry yet the Labour Party and Fine Gael are again targeting the vulnerable.