Seanad debates

Wednesday, 15 October 2014

10:30 am

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 11.45 a.m.; No. 2, Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) (Amendment) Bill 2014 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to be taken at 3 p.m. with the contribution of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and those of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes; and No. 55, motion No. 9, Private Member's business, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 2, with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Yesterday the Minister for Finance promised something for everyone in the budget and he certainly delivered in that regard. He ensured pain for the poor, more cuts for the squeezed middle and more fear for the elderly. Deputy Donnelly in an interview on "Morning Ireland" this morning said that the Government has introduced a politically strong but economically weak budget and he was right.

Photo of Pat O'NeillPat O'Neill (Fine Gael)
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Who said that?

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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An article in the Daily Mailtoday made reference to buying an election and that is what this Government is doing. All of the commentators are saying that the Government is buying votes with borrowed money.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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That is not what all of the commentators are saying.

(Interruptions).

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Please allow Senator Daly to speak. Members will have their opportunity to respond.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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It is buying votes with borrowed money and that is a fact. The Government is also helping what could be seen as Fine Gael core voters, but not Labour Party core voters. Those who are earning €70,000 per annum are four times better off in cash terms than those earning the minimum wage although I am sure the Labour Party would like to see the latter group voting for them in the next general election.

Photo of Pat O'NeillPat O'Neill (Fine Gael)
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Who are the Fianna Fáil core voters? I ask Senator Daly to define them for us.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Those earning €17,500 will be worse off than those earning €70,000 and that is before we take water charges into account.

Photo of Pat O'NeillPat O'Neill (Fine Gael)
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There are not many Fianna Fáil core voters left.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Does Senator Daly have a question for the Leader?

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Before Government Senators get too excited about the budget they should wait until they go home.

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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We will be welcomed home.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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When they arrive back in their constituencies they will meet those people who will be worse off.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I would like the Leader to organise a debate on what was not in the budget. The promise to get rid of prescription charged was not kept in the budget.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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There was no promise.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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We are all looking for the pen Deputy Ruairí Quinn used to sign the piece of paper that said he would abolish college fees.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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College fees will be €3,000 next year. The much lauded 1,700 extra teachers are not extra teachers but just keeping up with the growth in pupil numbers. There will be no reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio.

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Do we not need extra teachers to do it?

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Government continues to steal money from private pensions. So far, €2.2 billion has been stolen from private pensions and the theft will continue.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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Rubbish.

Photo of Pat O'NeillPat O'Neill (Fine Gael)
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The Senator had better go back for a briefing.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I would like a debate on corporate tax policy. The Government has announced it will get rid of what is known as the "double Irish". Europe is delighted, however the countries that were complaining about our corporate tax policy continue to have the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands and Bermuda. The Dutch have a corporation tax and copyright policy that is the shame of the world. Luxembourg was highlighted last week. Our Government has got rid of the double Irish despite the fact that EU treaties state that every country is entitled to its own corporate tax policy. The Government has introduced this new knowledge development box, subject to EU approval - terms and conditions apply of course. It is talking double Dutch while getting rid of the double Irish.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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Senator Daly is suffering from double delusions. When I hear him speaking about the budget, it seems he was not listening to what was said in the budget speeches in the Dáil or in the very substantive debate we had in this House last night. Had he been listening, as I was, or contributing, he might have noted that the commentators, like him, who said it was both auction politics and a continuation of austerity, had clearly got it wrong. It could not be both, and it was neither.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Even if you earn €70,000?

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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It represented, as both the Ministers, Deputies Noonan and Howlin, stressed, a modest step forward to a sustainable recovery.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator will have to write to the editor of the IrishDaily Mail.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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It is a modest budget.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Borrowing money and buying votes.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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Nobody is being triumphalist over it. However, it represents real progress, particularly for low-income to middle-income earners. If one examines, as objective commentators have done, the impact of the changes to the USC and tax bands, one will see the people who will benefit are the low-income to middle-income earners, whom the budget was specifically designed to help.

We had a good debate last night. Some very fair and constructive comments were made by both sides. However, the bulk of the criticism was that the budget had not gone far enough, for example that we had not done enough on child care or increased spending in certain areas. While those were fair criticisms, it is unfair to suggest the budget was some kind of giveaway or auction politics or that it represented continued austerity. Clearly, it does not. The Minister, Deputy Howlin, was very clear in his speech that it signals an end to the era of austerity, and we are all very glad to see it.

I commend the Irish soccer team on the excellent result last night.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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That is something we can all agree on.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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I hope we can all join together without rancour or controversy on that. John O’Shea scored a breathtaking goal in the last minute and it was a super result for Ireland in Germany.

Photo of Pat O'NeillPat O'Neill (Fine Gael)
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Just like the budget.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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It added to the positive feelings most people felt last night.

I welcome other positive news that was, perhaps, lost in yesterday’s budget, namely that, for the first time, Ireland has been invited to participate in the British Armistice day event and that our ambassador in Britain, Dan Mulhall, will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday, 9 November. This is a very welcome development and marks the contribution by 200,000 Irish men and women who went to Britain during the First World War and whose deaths had largely gone unmarked here for far too long. It is important that we are participating in it. In this context, I ask the Leader for a debate in the week that follows it in November, when there will be commemorations of the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, on the decade of commemorations. I also welcome the increased funding in the budget that will pay for the commemorations. We might have the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys here for it.

I commend the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, which will have an all-Ireland conference on midwifery tomorrow. I will be glad to address it on pregnancy pathways. Many of us have been concerned about the recent case of Philomena Canning, the withdrawal of insurance indemnity for a midwife involved in supporting women in home births and the lack of choice for women in terms of options in giving birth in hospitals. I was among those who participated in the show of support outside Leinster House last week.

Photo of Sean BarrettSean Barrett (Independent)
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Echoing what Senator Bacik said, today “Morning Ireland” reported that the financial pages carried the headline, “Irish recovery stuns Germans” and the sports pages carried the headline, “Irish recovery stuns Germans”. In his speech to the Dáil yesterday, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin said the reform agenda must continue. We still have too many unreformed institutions. Although we have done much heavy lifting, the reform agenda must continue. I congratulate the Leader on the fact that a man from his city, John O’Shea, scored the noble equaliser in Germany. We congratulate him. The Northern Ireland team won its match yesterday and is top of its group. It was a very important night in Irish sport.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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It was another double Irish.

Photo of Sean BarrettSean Barrett (Independent)
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I welcome, as Senator Bacik has, the announcement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, that he has accepted the invitation to the Armistice day event. It strengthens the improvement in relations, as manifested in events such as the Orange Order and Queen Elizabeth coming to Ireland and President Higgins visiting the UK. Some 50,000 Irish people were killed in the First World War. I am very honoured to represent a constituency in which commemorations of 9 November and 11 November have been held every year at a memorial which has approximately 650 names on it in a small Trinity College Dublin community of approximately 1,000 students who lost their lives in the First World War. It is very moving and touching and is part of the continuing reconciliation between the two islands. It is a very important and welcome development. I welcome the invitation and, even more so, the Minister's decision to accept. It brings the relationship between Ireland and Britain to a new high.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Talk about being out of kilter. What a misreading of the budget we have had. Was sending in Senator Daly a comedy act the Opposition decided to put on for us this morning? It is akin to sending in the clowns. What about all the extra gardaí and teachers? What about the reduction in the top rate of income tax to 40% and the increase of the standard rate cut-off band to €34,000?

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Has the Senator forgotten about the promises about prescription charges, college fees, and respite care?

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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What about the relief that will give to families across the nation?

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Nobody would laugh at prescription charges or €3,000 in college fees.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Senator Daly should pay attention to where he comes from. Yesterday, he claimed that what the Minister, Deputy Noonan did about the VAT rate for the tourism sector-----

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Ask them if they are laughing when they pay them.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly is only delaying proceedings.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Senator Daly is the one who caused the laughs this morning, with respect.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Nobody is laughing over prescription charges.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Coghlan keeps provoking Senator Daly and might be best to stick to-----

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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I take the Leas-Chathaoirleach’s point.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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You seem to have a great affinity for each other. You both come from Kerry but you love provoking each other.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I like him. He is not the worst of them.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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I am trying to redirect him to where he came from and the universal welcome there was for the holding of the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector, which saved so many jobs. There was an increase in jobs. This budget is all about increasing jobs. Some 80,000 people will be taken out of the USC net.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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We have gone away from last week with jobs for the boys.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I stopped Senator Coghlan interrupting Senator Daly, so he should not continually interrupt.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Some people here should pay more attention to the broad spectrum, and not confine their reading to the Irish Daily Mail.

10:40 am

Photo of Terry LeydenTerry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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The fact the Government followed the four year plan devised by the late Brian Lenihan is evident that success will come. If one reads through the plan it can be seen the Government followed it diligently and that success is starting to come, whether now or in the future. The elections last Friday were a wake-up call for the two parties in government.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Definitely in Roscommon.

Photo of Terry LeydenTerry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Neither Fine Gael nor Labour could come close to winning either of the seats. On that basis, there will be a wipeout of the Labour Party. This is unfortunate because I like the Labour Party. They are nice people.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Senator Leyden likes everyone.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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The Senator's concern is touching.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Has Senator Leyden a question for the Leader?

Photo of Terry LeydenTerry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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We were very good in government together and on many occasions. We brought in free university education-----

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent)
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It is a pity it is not free, though.

Photo of Terry LeydenTerry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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-----got rid of section 31 of the Broadcasting Authority Act 1960 and dealt with other issues in a combined effort.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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A question for the Leader.

Photo of Terry LeydenTerry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Below-cost selling has not been tackled in the budget. This is causing great difficulty in the industry and should be looked at prior to Christmas because it is quite evident the major supermarkets are involved in below-cost selling of alcohol, which leads to other social problems and should be tackled. There was no reason for it not to be tackled in the budget.

There is no plan to restore the full free electricity or free phone rental allowances. It would be very welcome to backtrack when it comes to these issues. The free phone rental was a wonderful scheme devised by the late Charles Haughey and it was welcomed by everyone. That was not restored in this budget.

Adding 40 cents to the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes is fine. Everyone who is anti-smoking would agree with that measure. Customs and Excise and the Garda will have to be funded and geared up to prevent further smuggling of illegal cigarettes into the country, which is depriving the Revenue Commissioners of a considerable amount of badly needed money.

The prescription charge, the abolition of which the Minister, Deputy Reilly, promised in the general election in 2011, has been increased to €2.50. This is a significant charge.

On teacher numbers, additional teachers are appointed where there is an increase in the number of pupils, but four teacher schools will be reduced to three teachers, three teacher ones to two and two teacher ones to one if there is no change, which there has not been, in the pupil-teacher ratio.

Borrowing to pay for this budget, which is a fact, has to be paid for. One would get the impression that somehow the country was not borrowing billions per annum to pay for the loans. One would think the country had reached a stage where we were earning additional money that could be given out. So be it. That is politics. I welcome the retention of the 9% VAT rate.

The point is last Saturday was a wake-up call. I do not know if there will be a general election before the next budget - possibly not. This certainly was an election budget. There is no doubt about that. On Friday, the Government parties got the biggest shock-----

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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Fianna Fáil got the shock.

Photo of Terry LeydenTerry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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-----which was followed on Saturday with the water charges protest. The people will realise on 1 January, when the bills start coming in for water charges, that everything in this budget will be eliminated and any advantage will be gone.

Photo of Aideen HaydenAideen Hayden (Labour)
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I point out to Senator Leyden, who spoke of the demise of the Labour Party, that Oscar Wilde said to the effect - our colleagues on the other side will be able to give better than me on this - that rumours of our death are greatly exaggerated.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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To lose one leader is reckless; to lose two is absolutely outrageous.

Photo of Aideen HaydenAideen Hayden (Labour)
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As for you, Senator Daly, you remind me of a certain soccer commentator and his comments on the great win by our team against Germany last night.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Hayden-----

Photo of Aideen HaydenAideen Hayden (Labour)
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Without interruption, if you do not mind.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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You should not draw fire. Do not be personal.

Photo of Aideen HaydenAideen Hayden (Labour)
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I think I drew enough fire from them yesterday. They may be done with me for one week.

I welcome the additional funding of more than €10 million for homeless services that was announced in the budget. That is particularly important for the Dublin region where we are facing a very serious homeless crisis in spite of the work of front-line organisations and the Dublin region homeless executive. It is most welcome and will make a real difference for people who are in very severe need. I also welcome the €2.2 billion that was announced for social housing construction over the next three years. An announcement that was not made relates to rent supplement budget for it and the current cap on rental values for houses people on social welfare can rent in the private rental market. I am hopeful, because there is an ongoing review of rent supplement, that those limits will be increased once the review is complete. Will the Leader arrange for the Tánaiste to come to the House at some point to discuss rent supplement and the reforms that should perhaps be made in the rent supplement budget.

I also ask for two other debates. One relates to the announcement, which we discussed last week, of the Central Bank Governor, Professor Honohan on changing the limits on mortgage lending. There is a consultation process under way in respect of that. The House should have an input to that consultation process. There has been a lot of discussion and debate over recent days about this proposed measure and its implications, especially for young people struggling to purchase a home. This is a serious issue that needs to be discussed.

I also ask for a debate on the private rented sector. We are seeing a significant number of people who are trapped in renting and will be for the foreseeable future. They are facing enormous rent increases with no effective limits being put on those rent increases and no effective security of tenure. We are asking people to live long-term in rented housing. We need to be able to provide rented housing that is safe, secure and affordable. Could we have a debate on the private rented sector?

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I now call Senator Norris. It should be Senator Cullinane.

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent)
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Thank you very much, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I am happy to be a deputy for Sinn Féin.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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Can we quote you on that?

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent)
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Could the Leader arrange for literacy classes for Fine Gael Members on the basis the Minister yesterday misquoted Robert Frost in his speech? It is the road not travelled, not the road not travelled by. There is a constant assumption that every witticism was said by Oscar Wilde. In fact, the thing about rumours of their death being exaggerated is Mark Twain.

Photo of Aideen HaydenAideen Hayden (Labour)
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I bow to Senator Norris's superior knowledge.

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent)
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I remember doing a pastiche of The Drapier's Lettersin the House and a Fine Gael Member, recognising something that was not quite me, asked me whether it was Shakespeare, completely obviating Dean Swift.
It is a little bit depressing as an Independent Senator to come to the House and find day after day the two sides blackguarding each other and blaming each other. All sides helped to get us into this mess and it is rather petty-----

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent)
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Yes, they did.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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Some of us voted against the bank guarantee.

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent)
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They voted for the arrangements. We should remember the €203 billion which is our debt at the moment. We should remember that those who are back at work, which I am very glad about, are working for the German and French banks. They are paying off their debts. I find that very aggravating. The sum of €64 billion of that €203 billion was directly related to the banks. That is a huge amount. Of course, expenditure on the Civil Service and so on had mushroomed in the previous ten or 15 years. That was a real problem - endemic through all governments - that needed to be looked at.

It is shameful that we are yet again sliding in terms of the amount of money we provide for overseas development aid. We ought to realise that this is a small planet. We are all interconnected. We all have to look after each other. We are listed in the Brookings Institution as a stand-out country because of our contributions. That will not last if we keep cutting the amount. It is down again. It is down to 0.46%. This is a percentage of our income. As the income shrinks, our contribution shrinks. If we have decided we are capable of giving 0.7%, and the Government in 2000 did so decide, and have made brave efforts to get up that level, we should not now be shrinking back from it.

Photo of Fiach MacConghailFiach MacConghail (Independent)
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I support Senator Bacik's proposal to have a debate on commemorations at the appropriate time. We have had four or five debates on the commemoration, however, with no real, actual detail on the Government's plans. We want to avoid the debacle of the Limerick city of culture when funding was given very late in the day. The arts budget announced yesterday appears to be a stand-still budget except for a figure of €4 million which is set aside for commemorations.

When we invite the Minister to attend for a progressive discussion on commemoration, we need details. With just 18 months to go, the days of talking flamboyantly about what "commemoration" means are over.

I acknowledge the Government's decision yesterday to prioritise social housing and the homelessness crisis. I commend the Government, including the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, in this regard. As some Senators know, I recently made a public and private commitment to the tireless work of Fr. Peter McVerry and his trust. Eradicating the homelessness crisis by 2016 presents a major challenge. Ensuring the basic human right to shelter must be key for us all, never mind reclaiming a sense of dignity. Like Senator Hayden, I wish there was a mechanism for controlling spiralling rents, but the investment of €2.2 billion in social housing during the coming three years has provided the financial and political commitment that has been absent from social housing provision for many years. This is welcome.

10:50 am

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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Whatever about the road less travelled, I hope the Government does not adopt the arrogance of previous Governments and slap itself on the back. I noticed an air of celebration yesterday evening among many Fine Gael and Labour Deputies and Senators. I hope that had to do with John O'Shea's late equaliser, not the regressive budget that was put in place yesterday.

Photo of Mary WhiteMary White (Fianna Fail)
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Fair dues to him.

Photo of Terry BrennanTerry Brennan (Fine Gael)
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A Waterford man like the Senator.

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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That is right.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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If I could continue. I thank the Senators for their interruptions. The reality is this-----

Photo of Terry BrennanTerry Brennan (Fine Gael)
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The Senator does it himself.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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The same question was put to the Taoiseach in the Dáil yesterday and this morning. An individual earning more than €70,000 per year will gain €746 under the budget. A couple earning €30,000 per year gains €174. This means that Government Senators and the Taoiseach will benefit four times more than the couple. Again, the Government has gone for an unfair and regressive budget. It had the opportunity to scrap water charges and the property tax and to put €800 million back into the pockets of working families across the State, which in turn would have boosted the economy. Instead, it gave the greatest relief to the highest paid earners.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)
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It is cancelled out by the USC.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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Proportionally, they will benefit more. While the Labour Party might disagree, these are the figures. A low-paid worker on €30,000 will gain €174, which will be negated by water charges. A middle-income earner on €50,000 will gain €546, most of which will be wiped out by the property tax and water charges. A higher earner on €70,000 will gain €746. The greatest benefit should have gone to middle and low-income workers as well as the unemployed. The Government's budget failed to address inequality and poverty. Instead, the budget will increase poverty and inequality levels. Cleverly from the Government's perspective, it tried to give something to everyone. In doing so, it gave nothing substantial to anyone except the top earners.

I wish to propose the amendment to the Order of Business that I proposed and withdrew yesterday because it was budget day, namely, that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government should attend the House to discuss the water services plan. We have not had such an opportunity yet. The Leader stated that he would endeavour to arrange for one. Water charges are a considerable issue for people.

Photo of Michael MullinsMichael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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I am surprised that Senator Cullinane has not welcomed the higher rate of USC to be imposed on higher earners.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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He forgot about it.

Photo of Michael MullinsMichael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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He has always asked us to ensure that higher earners pay more. That is what we did in this budget.

The budget is prudent and responsible and is designed to help low and middle-income families, with an emphasis on returning people to work. I welcome the €1.1 billion to be spent on employment supports in 2015. Currently, 1.92 million people are at work, an increase of 80,000 since 2012. Some 48,000 jobs are projected to be added to that figure by the end of 2015. Returning more people to work is key to ensuring that scarce resources are freed up to help the more vulnerable in society.

A number of the budget's provisions have not received much publicity but are to be welcomed, for example, the €10 million allocated for new Garda vehicles, which are badly needed to tackle rural crime. I refer in particular to burglars coming to rural Ireland in high-powered vehicles.

I agree somewhat with Senator Norris, but €600 million has been allocated in the budget for overseas development aid. This level of funding will enable Ireland to play a pivotal role in addressing the world's many humanitarian crises. I wish that other countries, many of which are richer than ours, honoured the commitments they gave at various forums and conferences. Ireland is the one country that honours every commitment it makes in respect of overseas humanitarian aid.

I welcome the additional €1 million for new projects and initiatives as regards the diaspora. I am rather surprised that Senator Daly, who is always concerned about the diaspora, did not welcome this provision, which increased funding to €12.5 million.

Photo of Paul CoghlanPaul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Opposition Senators' memories are particularly selective this morning.

Photo of Michael MullinsMichael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the new sports capital funding for 2015. The 2014 programme has been successful and many communities will benefit significantly from the investment in projects.

Photo of Labhrás Ó MurchúLabhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)
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I second Senator Cullinane's amendment, as it would be helpful were the Minister to attend to discuss that important issue.

On a separate matter, the recent meeting in a Dublin city hotel regarding the commemoration of the 1916 Rising made for sad reading. A huge meeting, it was attended by the relatives of the 1916 patriots. They expressed disappointment at the lack of progress and information on the commemoration. It would be helpful if we did not have to wait for much longer to see precisely what the programme will be. I acknowledge that the Minister has invited the relatives to meet her. Indeed, she has indicated that the draft programme may be published in the coming days. However, it is not helpful to have a debate developing that could become politically divisive.

Photo of Mary WhiteMary White (Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Photo of Labhrás Ó MurchúLabhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)
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We should all be able to do one thing, that is, commemorate and celebrate our patriots.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Photo of Labhrás Ó MurchúLabhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)
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That is what happens in every other country. We would not be an exception. We are not just referring to the militaristic aspect of the Rising. It is clear from the Proclamation that the 1916 leaders were far-seeing people. Even the budgetary provisions that we are discussing can, in many ways, reflect the Proclamation, which referred to cherishing all the children of the nation equally. We should not minimise that time in our history simply because we also want to commemorate other aspects of history. The relatives' fear is that the 1916 commemoration will be lost.

I have raised a question on the Order of Business three times regarding the volunteer, Thomas Kent, whose remains are lying in Cork jail. Everyone would agree that it is not a fitting place for the remains of such a brave man. Progress is being made, but I would like to see the same steps taken as were taken in respect of the forgotten ten volunteers, including Kevin Barry, buried in Mountjoy jail.

I still remember the outpouring of pride and affection at that time as tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Dublin when the cortège was passing through the city. I think the Minister will be committed to what we are trying to achieve here and that we do not waste any more time on this. Otherwise we will have a negative and divisive debate, which is the last thing we want if we are commemorating the 1916 Rising.

11:00 am

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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Senator Norris charged the Minister in the Chamber yesterday of committing the grave error of splitting an infinitive and suggested that he required literacy lessons. I think some history lessons are need here because Senator Norris said all parties acquiesced in the destruction of this economy. History will show that along with Senator Norris, the Labour Party was the only party to oppose the bank guarantee on the night in question, which was one of the main contributors to the destruction of our economy.

The Fianna Fáil spokesperson said this budget represented a following of the late Brian Lenihan's four-year plan. If that is the case, it would be interesting to hear why Fianna Fáil has so vigorously opposed every measure the Government has been trying to implement over recent years, which culminated in a rather modest but significant and progressive budget yesterday. Fianna Fáil shouted and squealed when there were cutbacks, because it lamented them. It shouted and squealed when we maintained services, because it did not like the maintenance of services, and when we increased services in some areas, because that did not suit it either. Fianna Fáil is making a blatant and obvious political point out of this. The contribution of its spokesperson in the other House yesterday was greeted with derision. My colleague, Senator Coghlan, used the word "clownish" in regard to some of the contributions from Fianna Fáil Members in this House and I agree with him in that regard.

If this budget was an auction budget, how come its effect will increase GDP by 0.3%, which is certainly in the common good? Senator Daly lamented the fact that we are not spending enough-----

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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For the information of the speaker, the calculation has been changed-----

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, do not interrupt again.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I will send Senator Gilroy a note on it, so that he will be up to speed.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Gilroy, without interruption. Senator Daly, you are only delaying the process.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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Senator Daly lamented the fact that we are engaging in auction politics, and yet in his contribution and in his heckling he has pointed to the fact we are not spending enough money. Senator Daly needs to-----

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Government is not keeping promises. That is what it is not doing. It is an entirely different process.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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In my humble opinion, Senator Daly needs to do one of two things.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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If Senator Gilroy wants to make charges, he might want to look at the front page of the Irish Daily Mailor-----

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, you know you are not entitled to display newspapers. Senator Gilroy, to conclude.

(Interruptions).

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Not keeping promises on prescription charges and college fees will ensure the Labour Party gets the election result it deserves.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, one of your colleagues will not be allowed to speak because I will stick to the time limit. Senator Gilroy, please finish up and do not attract attention. Senator Norris was completely right about this tit-for-tat, back and forth behaviour today. If there was someone in the Visitors Gallery who did not know anything about Irish politics, he or she would say we are shaming ourselves.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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The Leas-Chathaoirleach is quite right and I thank him for his advice.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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It is most unparliamentary.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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I suppose Senator Daly has made my point for me. He takes his literary references from-----

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I will continue to remind Senator Gilroy of prescription charges and college fees.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, please-----

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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Senator Daly takes his literary references from-----

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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If Senator Gilroy wants to draw fire-----

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, you made your case.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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-----he should be able to take a response.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, you have made about ten interruptions. As the acting leader of the Fianna Fáil group, you should act responsibly. Senator Gilroy, please do not continue to comment on what Senator Daly said and be more positive. You have gone over three minutes, which is most unlike you.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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The Leas-Chathaoirleach is quite right and I thank him for his advice on that matter. Senator Daly's contribution-----

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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If Senator Gilroy wants to do that and does not expect me to interrupt-----

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, please sit down.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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He is not entitled to refer to Members of the House.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, please sit down.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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When the Senator from Kerry-----

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I will sit down but if Senator Gilroy mentions my name and expects me not to reply, then he does not know me well enough.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, please resume your seat. Senator Gilroy is over time. I call Senator Rónán Mullen.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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If I am over time, it can hardly be blamed on me.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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You have used four minutes, mostly because you drew fire from the other side.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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Senator Daly has used two minutes of my time.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I call Senator Rónán Mullen.

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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May I finish with one last comment?

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Can you finish without mentioning Senator Daly?

Photo of John GilroyJohn Gilroy (Labour)
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I can. If the acting leader of the Fianna Fáil group draws his literary references from the front page of the IrishDaily Mail, it surely explains all the-----

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I call senator Rónán Mullen.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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If Senator Gilroy continues to----

Photo of Aideen HaydenAideen Hayden (Labour)
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It is a fair comment.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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We opposed the €3,000 college fees this year. The Labour Party voted for them.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, please resume your seat.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Labour Party said it would get rid of the prescription charges but they are still in place.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, if you stand up once more, I will ask that you be removed. You are most obstreperous today.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I think the colleagues opposite-----

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Daly, they are entitled to make comments, as you are.

Photo of Rónán MullenRónán Mullen (Independent)
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I wonder if there is any truth in the rumour that the Irish Daily Mail will soon be distributing a free DVD of "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" to all readers. I regret very much that there was no late equaliser in yesterday's budget for single income families which still have to put up with the glaring injustice of having to pay up to €6,000 more in tax than double income couples in the same income bracket. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, failed on radio this morning to give any just rationale for the continuation of the tax individualisation policy, which was criticised by them in the past and by the Tánaiste, Deputy Burton, who contributed to an Iona Institute paper on the subject. It is very regrettable that we have seen no change to that policy.
I raise the issue of our preparedness to deal with any possible Ebola outbreak. The Minister for Health and the chief medical officer will appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children tomorrow. Will the Leader arrange for the Minister for Health to come to this House to debate this specific issue next week and not deal with any other issue? I am concerned there may be serious deficiencies in HSE guidance and protocols supplied to hospital staff to deal with patients with possible Ebola symptoms. I find it very hard to understand how one of the Government's first responses to questions was to warn the health unions not to exploit the issue and to make points about resources and industrial relations issues. It is the Government's responsibility to reassure the public that all necessary steps are being taken and that all staff are fully trained and equipped. Its failure to communicate beyond making general claims of readiness is irresponsible and worrying because it suggests it may not know the full picture in the hospitals.
I have been in touch with hospital-based professionals who have told me that no training has been provided to accident and emergency or front-line staff in one large Dublin hospital and that no dry runs have been implemented to date. I have been informed that information given to staff so far relates to the assessment and diagnostic process as well as protocols for the ambulance service, but there has been no information as to how to apply and remove personal protective equipment, for example, or supervision or observation of the removal of such equipment. Is all that true? Does it matter? Does the Minister know about that?
It has been reported to me that a patient with suspicious symptoms presented to a Dublin hospital at the weekend and although Ebola was eventually ruled out, it was not before considerable confusion and debate about protocols and a plan of action as the staff treated the patient. There was an original idea to bring the patient to the acute medical assessment unit but an on-the-hoof decision was made to move the person to an isolation room in the intensive care unit. The key point is that the support staff involved had no training on or education about their role and protection despite the fact they would need to be involved in non-clinical elements of the patient care process.
The Minister for Health should come to the House to tell us why screening at airports is right for Britain but wrong for Ireland. He should tell us if there have been drills and dry runs in each hospital and what personal protective equipment is being made available to staff and hospitals and whether it is of equal standard in all cases. I have a list of other concerns and questions which responsible professionals have raised and I would appreciate if the Government would give us an account of its stewardship. This House is the place to do that. I look forward to hearing what the Minister and the chief medical officer have to say to the Joint Committee on Health and Children tomorrow, but in any event the Minister should come to the House next week on this pressing issue of public concern. I will push the matter to a vote if necessary.

Photo of Hildegarde NaughtonHildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael)
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Yesterday's budget was a modest and prudent one. The objective was not only to sustain our economic recovery but also to reduce the deficit. We are acutely aware of the sacrifices the people have made over recent years.

This budget is the first step in ensuring the benefits trickle down throughout the country. I am particularly delighted with the tax reliefs for the farming sector, which is our largest indigenous sector. The tax reliefs for older farmers who wish to transfer land to younger farmers should be greatly welcomed. That is important to ensure a sustainable agricultural industry. Incentives will also be introduced for young farmers to lease farms and to ensure older farmers can plan for the future. This is a positive step for our economy and for rural Ireland in particular.

The retention of the 9% VAT rate in the food and hospitality sector is important. I referred previously to the effects of that. More than 23,000 have gained employment in the sector since the introduction of the reduced VAT rate.

I also welcome the investment of €10 million secured by the Minister for Justice and Equality for the Garda fleet, and €3 million will also be provided for three new Garda divisional headquarters in Galway, Dublin and Wexford. The 100 recruits who entered the Garda college last September were the first to be recruited since 2009 when the previous Government put a stop to recruitment. All these measures are to be welcomed. They are modest but we are going in the right direction.

11:10 am

Photo of Mary WhiteMary White (Fianna Fail)
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It gives me great pleasure to thank the Minister for Health for extending the free breast cancer screening programme to women aged between 64 and 69.

Photo of Aideen HaydenAideen Hayden (Labour)
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Hear, hear. Well done to the Senator on her role in this as well.

Photo of Mary WhiteMary White (Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh míle maith agat. It is a great victory for everyone involved and there was great cross-party support in the House for it. I am delighted because it is a victory for older women who are entitled to treatment and services at any other age. As I have said in the House on numerous occasions, women aged between 55 and 75 are at a heightened risk of developing breast cancer.

I congratulate Mr. John McCormack of the Irish Cancer Society on his passion for this resolution to be brought to us today. I will put the pressure on, as I am sure will my colleagues on the Government side, to have the programme rolled out for women aged over 69. It is a great victory for those of us who are opposed to ageism, which is endemic in our society. We all should look into our own hearts and address that issue.

I support the comments of my colleague, Senator Mark Daly. Under the Government, prescription charges have been increased five times. As people get older, they need more medical interventions and treatment. This will affect everyone in this Chamber. The older one gets, the more ailments one will have, inevitably. To have a good quality of life, it is good to have the right medication and treatments. It is disappointing that this has not been achieved. I do not want to spoil the Minister for Health's announcement, however, which is a great achievement about which I am delighted.

Photo of Catherine NooneCatherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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I congratulate Senator White and all those involved. It is a great development and well done to her on her efforts. The One Young World Summit will be launched in Dublin later. It is a conference comprising more than 1,500 young people from around the world with representatives from 190 countries. World leaders such as Kofi Annan will address delegates. The conference is worth approximately €2 million to the local economy. Dublin has such conferences regularly because it is seen as a global leader in conference hosting. The Dublin Convention Bureau deserves credit for its work in this regard. We need to work more consciously on this and to promote other areas in the west, south and the midlands as venues for conferences. We can compete with the best in the world when it comes to conferences, and the launch of the One Young World Summit tonight will prove that. I seek a debate on tourism and conference hosting. It is linked, similar to the job creation debate we had a year ago, to exploring what measures we could undertake to bolster our increasing tourism numbers throughout the country and to attract more conferences.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Four Senators remain and I ask them to be brief.

Photo of Brian Ó DomhnaillBrian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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We are reflecting on the budget, which was politically clever. It ticked all the boxes in respect of a pre-election budget. It contained some good measures but overall it was a missed opportunity. All the Government Members are commending small interest groups that have benefitted from the budget, whether they are families or schools or specific projects, but overall we still have a significant budgetary deficit. The additional money Government Members are talking about is borrowed money which will still have to be paid for by the taxpayer in future years. The Government has a deficit, not a surplus.

The budget was a missed opportunity. The Government spoke about political reform and reforming our State institutions and this was the budget in which to do that. We often hear the phrase, "Never waste a good recession". This recession has been wasted by the Government because all that has happened is all the expenditure lines have remained the same with some tinkering around the edges. There was no radical reform of banking, including levying financial institutions. It will be proven in time that all this budget was about was 2016 and the next election and not about transforming our country or setting a 20 year target for where we want to be. That equates to a missed opportunity.

I support the call for a debate on Irish Water. That is the elephant in the room.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Tá an t-am istigh.

Photo of Brian Ó DomhnaillBrian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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Expectations were dampened yesterday with the introduction of the €100 relief, but Irish Water could end up in the hands of a Chinese or American businessman through the equity option. Who will control the company then? It is not even included in the Estimates as providing an income to the State. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government needs to come to the House to clarify the position regarding Irish Water and the pricing model.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I ask Members to be brief because the time is up.

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I would like to highlight one tax change. One of the messages that has been lost in the budget is that we are competing internationally for highly skilled people, especially in the health sector. We have great difficulty retaining people in this sector and, therefore, the tax changes in the budget are welcome. Many qualified medical professionals are emigrating to Canada, the US, New Zealand, Australia and the UK because while they earn less money, they pay much less tax in those jurisdictions. If we want them to return, we must ensure salaries and the tax structure is attractive to them. There are more than 250 vacant consultant posts in our hospitals, which equates to more than 10% of posts. We must examine this in the long term because these people are needed to provide the health care system the population needs. Expertise is required and, therefore, we need these people to return. The budget is the first step to encourage them to return. I welcome the Minster for Finance's decision to introduce these changes to the tax system.

This is just the first of many steps that will have to be taken to make it more attractive for people such as these to come back and work in this country.

11:20 am

Photo of Ned O'SullivanNed O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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I smiled when I heard the Minister, Deputy Noonan, quoting Robert Frost about the road less travelled. The budget is on a very old familiar highway, or should I say autobahn, of election budgets. This is what has framed it. Another big black hole in the budget is the health Estimate. Minuscule percentages have been built into the health budget over the next three years, which we all know cannot be realised. History shows that supplementary budgets must be introduced for the health Estimate and this will be the same. We are playing with borrowed money in difficult times. Obviously it is an election budget.

I support what Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú stated on the 1916 celebrations. The 1916 Rising was organised by the IRB, which was a highly secretive organisation, although not nearly as secretive as the Government in its plans to deal with the commemoration. I welcome the announcement by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, that she will come clean on it. We must all be part of it. This must be a national celebration. We have paid due homage to those who died in the Great War and John Redmond, and rightly so as I have stated previously. The seismic date in Irish history is 1916, whether we like it or not, and it has informed all modern democratic politics in Ireland since. The men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice need to be focused on singularly in order that we can have a proper, respectful and meaningful commemoration of their deeds. I would like less emphasis on the militaristic side and more on the radical proclamation which they brought forward and which has been an example to us all.

Photo of Mary WhiteMary White (Fianna Fail)
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All over the world.

Photo of Jim WalshJim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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Aontaím go hiomlán leis an méid atá ráite ag an Seanadóir Labhrás Ó Murchú agus ag an Seanadóir Ó Súilleabháin faoi chomóradh maith a dhéanamh ar 1916. Bheadh sé oiriúnach an tAire a bheith againn sa Teach le haghaidh díospóireachta ar an gcomóradh agus ar an bplean atá aici é sin a chur i bhfeidhm chomh luath agus is féidir.

It is regrettable that descendants of the leaders of 1916 are speaking about organising their own commemoration simply because they have lost confidence in the process. This would be a real pity. There is an urgency to bring the Minister to the House in order that we have a good discussion in which she lays out her intentions regarding the programme. Even if it is not finalised, at least she could give us a sketch of what is in her mind.

I have always been a strong proponent of the men of 1916. They took on the might of the British army knowing they were probably going to sacrifice their own lives in the interests of attaining freedom. They were not pseudo-patriots who went out picking up mothers of ten to have them killed somewhere in the backwoods and left for decades before their bodies were recovered and who shamed the legacy of those people. This type of activity should not in any way inhibit us from ensuring a proper commemoration and I would like to see this happen.

I concur fully with what Senator Mullen stated on Ebola and I suggest to the Leader it would be a useful exercise if the Minister for Health came to the House and, rather than having a debate, we had a question and answer session on our preparedness for Ebola arising in this country. The Minister is as committed as everyone in the House to ensuring all the precautions and preparations are in place so that at least if we are unfortunate enough for it to happen, it will be handled effectively.

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Senator Daly is in fine fettle this morning.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Like-----

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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He is going to start before I do.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Leader to continue, without interruption.

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Fianna Fáil refused to publish substantial policy proposals and has no substantive jobs or health plan. Its short policy documents are merely a means to attack the Government, and we saw that again here this morning.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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For the benefit of the Leader-----

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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If Senator Daly lets me finish, I will educate him, seeing that he was trying to educate everyone else. He quoted Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I suggest he goes back two days and quotes what his spokesperson, Deputy Willie O'Dea, stated, that what Fianna Fáil has to do now is produce a realistic policy platform that will give it a clear identity. Senator Daly should listen to his own first.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I referred to the budget.

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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This is what Deputy Willie O'Dea said.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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It is here.

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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This is Fianna Fáil's stance on the budget and what it should be doing. The Senator should listen to his own spokesperson on what should be in the budget and what Fianna Fáil should be doing to get support back.

Photo of Mark DalyMark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Michael McGrath produced-----

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Senator Bacik made several comments, as did many other Senators, on the budget. Senator Bacik also welcomed the fact the Irish ambassador to Britain, a Waterford man like John O'Shea, who was also mentioned, will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph this year. She called for a debate on commemorations. The debate on commemorations, and 1916 in particular, was also mentioned by Senators Ó Murchú, O'Sullivan, Walsh and several others. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, gave a commitment last week that she would come to the House in early course, and we have it pencilled down for the middle of November. I hope the Minister will come to the House and we can have a comprehensive debate on 1916 and the decade of commemorations.

Senator Barrett spoke about the need for reform, and that reform must continue. He also spoke about the importance of fostering continued good relations between Ireland and the UK.

Senator Leyden welcomed the increased Garda numbers and the fact the Garda fleet will be increased by more than 400 vehicles, a matter raised by many Members of the House in recent months. I am very pleased we are now in a position to have more recruitment in the Garda and Army and that more than 400 vehicles will be provided.

Senator Hayden spoke about funding for homelessness and the €2.2 billion proposed for social housing, which is certainly badly needed. Social housing has been neglected for the past ten years and we see the situation now. I hope this massive injection of capital into social housing will ease the problems for so many on the housing lists at present. Senator Hayden also called for a debate on the private rental sector and the consultation process on the Central Bank proposals on mortgages.

Senator Norris spoke about overseas aid. As a percentage it has decreased, but the Government has allocated more than €600 million for overseas development aid. The level of funding will enable Ireland to continue to play a critical role in some of the most pressing humanitarian crises witnessed for many generations. The Government has also provided €14 million this year for victims of the appalling conflict in Syria and the region. We provide €10 million annually to support the Palestinian people and made a commitment at the international conference in Cairo for an additional €2.5 million for the reconstruction of Gaza. Through the Irish Aid programme and our funding for NGOs working in west Africa, we provide more than €16 million in assistance to Sierra Leone and Liberia. Much of this funding is focused on strengthening health systems and is also helping to fight Ebola. Our record is good. Obviously we would like it to be better, but Ireland contributes significantly to overseas aid.

That is recognised by all the countries that are assisted through Irish efforts.

Senator Mac Conghail also mentioned the commemoration of 1916. As I stated, I hope we will have that debate in the middle of November. He also welcomed the proposals for social housing and the significant amount of funding proposed for social housing. There is a €4 million package under the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht to roll out an integrated plan to commemorate 1916, as has been mentioned, and funding for current expenditure for the arts has increased for the first time in six years. Financial support for the national cultural institutions has been protected following many difficult years of cutbacks, which were mentioned in the arts debate in the House last week. The Minister for Finance has also committed to exploring measures to boost the film and television sector. An important point in relation to the arts, which has been mentioned here as well, is that the artist's tax exemption is being increased by €10,000, from €40,000 to €50,000, and this has been welcomed by the arts community.

Senator Cullinane raised the policies of the Government on taxation and other issues. He thanked me for the Government adopting some of the Sinn Féin policies last evening, but that has obviously changed there. Our policy to introduce an 8% rate of universal social charge for those earning more than €70,000 was welcomed by Sinn Féin in some quarters, but its members changed their minds overnight. These things happen from time to time. I am looking, in that wonderful booklet that was produced by Sinn Féin last week, at that party's proposal to increase employers' PRSI to 15.75%, which without question would be a tax on jobs. In the context of the Sinn Féin plan for Irish Water, Senator Cullinane asked for a debate. I stated yesterday that I would try to get the Minister in. I have asked the Minister and he has agreed that he will come in as soon as there is a date in his diary to come in, but he will not be able to come in today, as has been requested. The Sinn Féin plan for Irish Water would suggest that it would be no longer classified as an off-balance sheet effort and the €550 million hole is the equivalent of the entire property tax yield, which is a red letter issue for that party. Its proposals do not add up. That is the position.

On education, an issue Sinn Féin Members have raised in the House on several occasions, Sinn Féin forgot to allow for the increased funding to maintain the current pupil-teacher ratio. Sinn Féin's budget proposals would increase the pupil-teacher ratio from 28:1 to 30:1, which is a significant increase. Its members should tell the teachers to whom they have been promising everything over recent years what their proposals would mean.

11:30 am

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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Senator Cummins needs a scriptwriter.

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Senator Michael Mullins welcomed the provisions in overseas aid and the additional funding that will be made available for the sports capital programme.

Senator Ó Murchú raised the issue of the 1916 commemoration and the volunteer, Thomas Kent. He mentioned that there is progress on that issue. One hopes that progress will continue.

Senator Gilroy said that with the Government, there will be no more boom or bust policies like were advocated by the other side of the House.

Senator Mullen mentioned aspects of the tax individualisation policy which is continuing. On the Ebola crisis, I mentioned yesterday that the Joint Committee on Health and Children will meet at 9.30 a.m. tomorrow. That is open to all Members of the House and we should try to avoid duplication at all times. The committee is open to Members to contribute to it. It is the appropriate forum because there is only one item on the agenda of the committee and it will be discussed from 9.30 to whatever time tomorrow. If there are other questions to be asked, we will try to facilitate it, but I do not like duplication in the House.

Senator Naughton welcomed the incentives for farmers and the agricultural sector in the budget which were significant and have been welcomed by all the farming organisations. I also note her comments on Garda recruitment.

Senator White extended compliments to the Minister on the extension of BreastCheck to women aged between 64 and 69. That has been universally welcomed.

Senator Noone raised the One Young World Summit, with 1,500 delegates in Dublin this weekend. It is important we would attract conferences such as this because of their importance to the tourism sector and the economy as a whole.

I assure Senator Ó Domhnaill that Irish Water will not be privatised, but we can discuss those comments during the debate.

Senator Colm Burke raised the importance of the retention of staff in the medical sector and outlined that there are 250 vacant consultant posts. He welcomed the budget tax provision to attract consultants.

Senator O'Sullivan called it an election budget and yet many of his colleagues call on us to spend more. I do not know where he will go in that regard. His other comments and those of Senator Walsh related to commemorations of 1916. As I stated, it is hoped we will have the Minister in the House in the middle of November on that matter.

I do not propose to accept the amendment to the Order of Business as tabled by Senator Cullinane.

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator David Cullinane has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That a debate with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government on the water charge be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed?

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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Given the Leader stated he would endeavour to have the Minister in the House in the short term, I withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Order of Business agreed to.