Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like many other speakers, I deplore the leaks from various Departments about what might and might not be in the budget. Many Members have called for a debate on child benefit and universal payments but I would like that debate to be widened. The Minister for Social Protection has a budget of ¤21 billion and we need a debate on the social welfare budget. There is much wisdom in this House and many Members would like an opportunity to have an input into how we can best target that large budget to the most deserving people in our communities. We all query whether child benefit should be a universal payment. There are arguments for and against that and we would all like the opportunity to make our views known.

Our friends from Sinn Féin are always talking about taxing the wealthy. I wonder who the wealthy really are. Is it the small business person who, a few years ago, employed maybe five or six people but is no longer in a position to earn money and cannot get any benefits? Is it the public servant or the person who worked in industry who got a retirement lump sum and was encouraged by the bank to invest it in bank shares but is now penniless as a result? I ask the Leader organise a debate on the social welfare budget to give us an opportunity to have an input into how we believe that budget should be best targeted and to give the Minister the wisdom of this House before she announces it, because we all want to see the best outcomes for people who are most vulnerable and need assistance from the State.