Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I was glad to see Sinn Féin and the Labour Party mention Fianna Fáil so many times in their contributions on the budget. At least Fianna Fáil made a confidence and supply agreement for three years and did not run to the hills like Sinn Féin. Sinn Féin criticises everything from the minute it comes into this Chamber, and I see the Labour Party is doing the same. I know we need many changes and people need to see improvements, and Fianna Fáil wants this, but when I hear a Sinn Féin Senator mention Fianna Fáil at least seven times in an eight-minute speech today, it worries me that the party is so concerned. At least we did not run and I can say that as a Fianna Fáil Senator. Today's budget must be more than spin. We need to see action now. Spending is one thing, but promises of spending without timescales are another thing altogether and that is crucial. We need delivery on these promises, value for money, help where help is sought and action on the ground for people to see real change.

I welcome the movements on housebuilding but I would have preferred to see the projects that were promised in previous budgets come to fruition. I attend meetings of the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government every week and we speak to the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. The delivery and timescales need to be looked at. I know there is an increase in the funding provided for homelessness services and I welcome the €310 million package for affordable housing over three years but, again, it is all about delivery. We need to see real houses for real people and we need to ensure that this housing crisis does not get worse.

Announcements of improvements over time for the public health system will not do anything now when we see that 525 people were on trolleys in hospitals last night. This is unacceptable. I know Fine Gael is putting money into the health system, but unless we see those 525 people on trolleys last night looked after, it defeats the purpose. I ask the Minister of State for a commitment that we will not see any patients, including old people and children, on trolleys. This is unacceptable and needs to be addressed now. Looking through the budget, which we are all still going through, we see an increase in funding for mental health services. This is welcome, but unless it is done properly and unless everything is worked on straight away, people will not see it.

Farmers have had a tough year and I have called for supports for them. The budget makes some acknowledgement of the difficulties in agriculture. I note there is a €20 million pilot scheme for suckler farmers, which is important because farmers are worried about Brexit and about what will happen next year. Brexit is mentioned several times in this budget as something from which we must protect ourselves. I am concerned, however, where investments are to be made as to whether protective measures are being put in place or whether we are just hoping Brexit goes our way and not making a plan B. If we have learned anything from the past, we know we need a plan B.

I note the education provisions in the budget and I welcome the provision of an additional 950 special needs assistants for 2019. We must ensure we deliver on this commitment.

Decent climate action is missing from the budget. It is shocking the Government did not take the opportunity to introduce incentives and imaginative ways to encourage more carbon-neutral lifestyle choices. There was a chance to be brave here. There is a lack of targets, timescales and commitment. I am concerned that while there are people who will be glad to see some of the cuts reversed, all anyone really wants is a better, fairer society in which promises are made and real change is delivered. This is all about timescales and delivery for people on the ground. We have the working poor and people trying to pay mortgages and paying rents.

I welcome all the changes, such as the €5 weekly social welfare payment increases and the Christmas bonus. People depend on these payments. All I ask is that we have delivery and that we do not find this time next year that there has not been delivery. People are counting on us. We are still in a housing crisis. I heard Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and others making criticisms.This is about the people - the poor people, the people who are in need, and the homeless. This is what we have to do now. This is up to us. We have given a commitment that we in Sinn - I mean, Fianna Fáil-----