Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Nobody is being triumphalist over it. However, it represents real progress, particularly for low-income to middle-income earners. If one examines, as objective commentators have done, the impact of the changes to the USC and tax bands, one will see the people who will benefit are the low-income to middle-income earners, whom the budget was specifically designed to help.

We had a good debate last night. Some very fair and constructive comments were made by both sides. However, the bulk of the criticism was that the budget had not gone far enough, for example that we had not done enough on child care or increased spending in certain areas. While those were fair criticisms, it is unfair to suggest the budget was some kind of giveaway or auction politics or that it represented continued austerity. Clearly, it does not. The Minister, Deputy Howlin, was very clear in his speech that it signals an end to the era of austerity, and we are all very glad to see it.

I commend the Irish soccer team on the excellent result last night.