Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I know that we will have statements on the budget later but for all the love-bombing between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and all the talk of fivers flying around, it is a somewhat underwhelming budget. Like many colleagues, I listened in the Dáil Chamber to the speeches of the two Ministers. It is disappointing to see the lack of ambition in some areas, particularly in the area of child care. I think we are due to have a debate in this Chamber on child care in the coming weeks. In light of today's announcement, I welcome that debate. I very much welcome the package of child care measures announced but it lacks ambition to have the universal payment limited to children under three rather than children up to the age of 12. We should also have seen an extension to the paid paternity leave provision that was commenced under the previous Government.

I have also sought a debate on third-level funding in the House. In today's budget, that can was kicked down the road. The Minister made reference to the Cassells report but only announced that he would conduct a review of the Exchequer and employer contribution without actually grasping the nettle of reform. While the increase of €36.5 million for higher education is very welcome, I understand it is to be shared between the further and higher-education sectors. As a result, it will be quite thinly spread across a sector that is so in need of additional funding.

Others have spoken about the disappointing allocation for the arts and the very small increase in the minimum wage of only ten cent per hour. There is a Twitter war going on at present about the overseas development aid allocation. As I read, there is no increase but the Minister has recently tweeted that there will be an increase official development assistance. If that is true, it is very welcome but it is certainly not evident from the Estimates.

I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on development more generally, official development assistance and, in particular, development and gender. I ask that while noting that today is the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child.While there is a recognition in the development programmes of the particularly disproportionate disadvantage suffered by girls in developing countries, we know that in developed countries sexism and sexist attitudes still prevail as exemplified perhaps in the recent revelations on tape from US presidential candidate Donald Trump. It seems that sexist attitudes towards women are not confined to any particular country or culture. It is very disturbing to see a US presidential debate sink to a new low. I ask the Leader for a debate on our overseas development aid contributions, our commitments under international targets, the issue of gender and the recognition of gender in those development programmes.