Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will try to touch on the positivity with regard to the budget. There are some very good things in it. I agree with Senator Reilly that greenways are superb. I also agree with what he said about child care costs. I am glad that prescription charges are being reduced. I completely agree with the introduction of a sugar tax and the measures that are being taken in respect of cigarettes and sunbeds.

Senator Reilly also spoke about family income supplement and the social protection payments made to those who really need such payments. These issues were also mentioned by Senator Ruane. It is very easy to pigeon-hole Fine Gael as a right-wing party that wants tax cuts, but for me and the version of politics I practise, there is nothing further from the truth. I want to see the people who need the most help getting the most help.

Senator Ruane spoke about the superb national training fund, which is doing really good work. I would like to sit down and speak to her about this on some occasion. I have magnificent examples of employer-led interaction with colleges to get under-employed people into higher versions of employment with higher wages and salaries. Everything we are doing today is to try to have less tax. That is the best way to increase people and drag them out of deprivation. Everything I am doing is about trying to help those who require help.

The figure we have for the key employee engagement programme, which relates to shared remuneration, is €10 million. It is not a huge figure. When I am abroad trying to get companies to establish their bases in the Republic of Ireland, I hear about the importance of this issue all the time.

Senators have spoken about the USC cuts. There is a plain and simple choice between tax cuts. The USC is collecting €4 billion. That is part of the income tax take of €20.5 billion. The taxpayers of this country have paid for the reforms we have made and the direction we have moved in.