Mary White (Fianna Fail)

We are speaking about the cuts with regard to lone parents, reducing the age from 14 years to 7 years and how it is prohibitive to lone parents returning to work. Will the Minister of State ask his party colleagues why it is such an article of faith that the Minister for Finance does not seem to be willing to consider increasing income tax for those at a higher level of income? I find it amazing that the budget contains so many cuts to those who are less well off. I am mystified. However, I will not go on about it. I ask the Minister of State to bring this point to the Minister for Finance.