Hear, hear.

Sentiment score: 0.00

Last October, when we debated the multibillion euro budget brought forward by the Government, we warned that people had been put to the pin of their collars. The Government brought in a budget - and the Minister of State supported it - which gave billions of euro to corporate landlords, banks and the wealthiest in the country, but very little to most working families. They were promised tax cuts and childcare cost cuts that they never got. What they actually got were increases. College fees went up. People looked on as groceries and insurance costs rose. Rents are going up. More people are homeless, and more people are facing homelessness. We warned the Government that this was getting close to a tipping point and that people were really stretched. The Government ignored us. We told it that the anger of people, because of a multibillion euro budget that left them high and dry, was simmering, and it ignored us. A number of weeks ago, when the Government brought forward its first package of measures, we again warned it that this was coming close to a tipping point. Deputy Pearse Doherty brought forward alternative measures that could have avoided the protests, avoided the disruption we saw, given leadership and given supports to families, and again the Government ignored us. It got to a point where people had enough. That is why I had people the length and breadth of this country contacting me to say they were proud of Ireland and proud of the people of Ireland and of the truckers, farmers, hauliers, small contractors and others who were taking to the streets because of the failure of this Government. They were looking on and they were applauding because they know that they are also being shafted by the same Government. That is why we are back here again. When we debated this issue a number of weeks ago, the Minister of State and his Government colleagues told us that the package was enough, and that was it. The Government is back now with its tail between its legs. It has come back with more, but, again, these are half measures. The Government comes back every time a day late and a dollar short. It leaves people behind, and people are sick and tired of it. They are sick and tired of this do-nothing Government that does not represent ordinary working people and that just leaves them high and dry over and over again.

Sentiment score: -0.12