Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

I remind my eminent friend from Carlow-Kilkenny that every time a budget was proposed over the past ten or 12 years those who are now Ministers called for more.

My colleagues will deal with each of the points made in the motion. They will address the cynical promises made on the health service, the Defence Forces, the Garda and child benefit. The individuals who made these promises knew they were telling untruths. The public will have the opportunity to express an opinion on the truth or otherwise of their commitments. The Members opposite broke their promise that they would not cut child benefit or social welfare rates. They promised to protect education and the disadvantaged only to cut funding in these areas. They are selling the State assets they promised to retain in public ownership. They were going to bring forward a jobs budget that became an initiative which was paid for by robbing €450 million from those who saved for private pensions. Half of that money was put into job creation measures, yet unemployment increased from 13.7% to 14.2% between July 2011 and today.

We will continue to be a responsible Opposition and we will support the Government when we believe it is going in the right direction. However, we will hold it to account when it goes wrong.