Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House to discuss this very important issue. I wrote a few notes as I listened to Senator Clonan's contribution. In conversations with friends and colleagues yesterday evening, one of the complaints I heard about the budget was the lack of new thinking in it around people with disabilities. Rather than punishing people, we should incentivise them to work by changing the tax code and presenting things as supports as opposed to benefits. The budget is a very strong one. I am very ambitious for every person on this island and I firmly believe that it is abhorrent that people with a disability do not enjoy the same access to society as others. Senator Clonan and I share the belief that we must support rather than punish someone who is trying to get on. It is about creating equity in the system as opposed to saying we are all equal because we are not equal unless we are given a leg up and support. I wholeheartedly support Senator Clonan when it comes to these issues.

The budget has good measures on the cost-of-living crisis. There are huge problems in the global economy and national economies. The Government, in the budget, has tried to find ways to support people to get through this winter. That is in the short term but we have also put money away for the long term in case there is worse to come.

The specific issues that affect young people are very important. Fianna Fáil has a fantastic young wing, Ógra Fianna Fáil, and a very active disability network. Both of these networks work together to shape policy and work with Ministers and at European level on disability and across every single sector. This issue does not relate only to housing, disability or one Department. The motion rightly highlights the intersectionality of the problems that face people every single day of the week. People from a disadvantaged background will find it difficult to gain entry to university. I would never have been able to go to university without a grant and I would not have been able to do other things without support. I would not have a house now if I had not lived with my parents for four years and saved money. Fianna Fáil understands that it is really difficult for very many people.

I will highlight some of the budget provisions that will benefit young people and everybody else. The budget is sustainable and will help people this year and in the following years. It introduced significant reductions in the cost of public services, education and health. As has been rightly said, it increased social welfare supports and put money back into people's pockets through tax cuts. Overall, the budget is comprehensive, fair and progressive and will tackle this unprecedented crisis.

The budget provides a once-off €1,000 reduction in the student contribution for eligible students in 2022. This is a major reduction in costs and a great support for any family sending a child to college. The once-off double monthly payment for those in receipt of the SUSI maintenance grant is money that will go straight into the pockets of struggling students and will help them to get through the next few months.

We now have full employment. Ten years ago, it was impossible for young people to secure part-time jobs but those jobs are now available. The budget has extended the public transport fare reduction and youth travel card discount of 50%. These are all positive measures that will help young people. The next few months will not be easy for anyone but these budget provisions will help.

Housing is an issue for everyone. We are dealing with a decade of undersupply and under-management of housing policy. We need 50,000 houses to be built each year because there has been no housing delivery for the past ten years. We had Covid and Brexit and now we have the Ukrainian crisis. Houses are now being delivered and there is planning permission in the system for 45,000 homes. Over 23,000 houses have been completed this year and this will affect families and households. There are not enough houses but with this housing delivery, people are moving into homes. We need to do a lot more work and back the Housing for All strategy because it is going to work. Time is of the essence in housing but, unfortunately, I am out of time. We need delivery and that will come with the support of the Minister of State and his colleagues.