John Gilroy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

To take €2.5 billion out of the economy in tax and expenditure savings is a very difficult task. To find €1.6 billion in expenditure cuts has also presented difficulties. I suppose it is the job of those in the Opposition to oppose policies by the Government but I wish they could do it with a little honesty. I do not say fairly because we do not expect fairness from the Opposition but we do expect a little honesty from time to time.

I will quote from the Fianna Fáil national recovery plan for 2014. This would be the budget those in Fianna Fáil would introduce if they were in power today - thank God they are not. The national recovery plan from Fianna Fáil proposes to take €1.5 billion out of the social protection budget for 2014. Yet, the entire budget savings in expenditure amounts to €1.5 billion. Fianna Fáil would do it at a stroke and decimate our public services. Yet its party members come to the House this morning with their hang-dog faces shouting about fairness and care for those most vulnerable in our society. We could argue over different things in the budget but if someone criticises a particular measure and that person was in a position to be able to actually do something about it but did not do it, then I contend that amounts to a gross and crass hypocrisy.

Unfortunately, we have found it necessary to reduce jobseeker's allowance for those under 25 years but we have created places in training and education, where these people should be. We have reduced one payment to €100 per week. Those in Sinn Féin have been the most vocally critical about this. I point out that where Sinn Féin is in government, in the North, and always has been, the same allowance is actually €67 per week. When people from Sinn Féin come to the House and criticise the €100 per week payment when they are in a position to do something about it in the North but do not, it amounts to hypocrisy.

I call on the Leader to organise a debate on mental health. I welcome the €20 million increase in spending for mental health community development. I call on the Leader to arrange for the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, to come to the House to discuss the best use of that resource.