Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fewer and fewer people will be contacting the Senator after this budget.

The Government had options. Fine Gael has been strong in its record over the years on protecting the wealthy and the privileged in society. The Government has done that again. Fine Gael was the party that said that would be not be any income tax increases. The Labour Party barked like a poodle last year about the application of an additional 3% universal social charge levy to incomes over €100,000. We believe that should have been done; it should have been done this year. Those who can afford to pay should pay and in that way the Government would not have to remove the telephone allowance from an 85 year old widow or remove the bereavement grant. These are choices that the Government is making.