Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and commend him on his speech. Being the last speaker is often fraught with danger because one can reach out and attack but Senator Colm Burke has stolen my introduction.The decade to which Senator Colm Burke referred was a decade of cuts, emergency budgets, emigration and financial emergency. As the Senator said, some €12.5 billion was taken out in cuts and €3.8 billion was added in taxation. This was done to create a platform for a resilient future for our families, friends and communities. Being in government is about making decisions like those that have allowed us to give something to people in today's budget. As the Taoiseach said, there are no fireworks in the budget, which is about ensuring we balance the books. It is not about arithmetic or a computer spreadsheet; it is about ensuring we can invest in people and communities.

Senator Dolan is right when he talks about emergency respite care and respite care. I welcome the allocation in the budget for the primary care fund and the home care and home help package. As we seek to promulgate a just and fair society, we must talk to HIQA and the HSE to ensure we can provide emergency respite care and respite care in our communities. That is not happening, despite the best intent and the allocation of money. We need to have a serious conversation on this issue. As Senators, we know from our communities and constituency offices that many people cannot get respite care because of what is happening in this area. As I said on the Order of Business, I am pleased that the Minister, Deputy Harris, will say to the HSE that the €685 million which has been allocated to health is specifically earmarked for certain projects. That is important.

I am happy that we have tax reform in this budget, that we are rewarding work and that we are telling men and women who receive payments of varying degrees that the time they spend at work doing their jobs, including when they are taking on extra shifts or doing overtime, must pay. We must put a value on work and this budget will do that. I was struck by the commentary of Seán Whelan on "Six One News". He said that of course there is a variation in terms of those who pay because those who earn the most pay the most tax. We need to ensure people on low and middle incomes are also given an opportunity to be rewarded.

Many of us always hoped we would get to this budget. We are now able to plan. We can invest in infrastructure and in the recruitment of an extra 800 gardaí and extra teachers. It was striking to hear my learned friend, Senator Conway-Walsh, saying she opposes the retention of the VAT rate that applies to accommodation. That sums up Sinn Féin's àla carteapproach to everything, which can be described as "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two". As the Senator knows quite well, if we start unpicking the VAT rate that applies to the hospitality sector, it will cost jobs. Of course Sinn Féin is about raising taxes - that is its raison d'être- and then spend, spend, spend.

I will conclude on a positive note. This budget will give something back to improve the lives of people. It will help to invest in the most vulnerable and marginalised people in our society and our communities, about whom Senator Dolan spoke. We must embrace this budget and plan for the next two budgets so we can ensure we never go back to the bad old days. I thank the Minister of State for his willingness to come to the House.