David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, namely, that the House discuss No. 26 on the Order Paper, which is a Sinn Féin motion calling for a vote of no confidence in the Government. I ask the Deputy Leader to make time available today or tomorrow to discuss the motion.

Budget 2013 is an assault on families ? as unfair as any we have seen in recent years. By continuing to protect the wealthy, it proves that as long as Fine Gael ideology dominates the Government, ordinary people will suffer.

These are not my words but the words of former Labour Party Minister of State, Deputy Róisín Shortall, speaking in the Dáil last week. The cumulative effect of the budget on working families is "regressive", according to Labour Party chairman, Deputy Colm Keaveney, who also pointed out that the Government "had choices in the budget and in certain areas we didn't make the correct choices." It is clear that many members of the Labour Party also believe that the Government made the wrong choices in the budget. It protected the wealthy and did not ask higher earners to pay any price and has again gone after carers, people with disabilities and ordinary working families who are suffering and struggling.

The comment by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, in respect of the election commitments given by his Department were nothing short of appalling.