Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This budget has been all about headlines which the Government is throwing out to an unsuspecting public, saying "Look at us, aren't we doing a wonderful job? Vote us back into office at the next election". As my party spokesperson said in the Dáil, this is as much a vote catching exercise as it is about responsible budgetary mechanisms. I am disappointed, overall, that there has not been a greater targeting of those who are less well off, particularly those who are in receipt of social welfare benefits whose payments have been cut repeatedly in recent years. They are the most vulnerable in our society and I see nothing in this budget that will help them in any way.