Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Having had the honour of being elected to the Industrial and Commercial Panel of the Seanad on three occasions, I speak with authority. Every year the budget is announced on a given day. Full of anticipation, we all go to the Dáil gallery to listen to the announcement. Afterwards people protest at the gates of Leinster House about all of the cuts made by the Government. Will the Leader, please, invite the Minister for Finance to the House to discuss with us what he intends to introduce in the forthcoming budget? We, as democratically elected Members, have a right to express our opinions on this subject. Yesterday afternoon an alliance from west Cork was protesting at the front gate. There were people of all ages present. Both senior and young gentlemen and ladies came to draw attention to the severe cuts that had taken place in west Cork. The Leader and the Cathaoirleach will be shocked by them. They include the downgrading of Bantry hospital, the closure of three Garda stations and the cutting of home help hours. For the first time yesterday I met the passionate shop steward for the alliance, Ms Violet Carroll. There was a €2.25 million cut to the Leader programme for community projects in the area. How dare the Government have such an archaic, old-fashioned way of bringing forward a budget. Will the Leader, please, request the Minister for Finance to pay us respect? Members are elected to various panels and there are Members on the Government side on mine. Our job is to discuss the cuts in a rational, businesslike way, not to have a slash and burn approach which is causing distress to so many.