Mary Lou McDonald

I want to address just some of these broken promises. Broken promise number one is the cost of living. During the election, the Government was clear over and again that tackling soaring prices and the runaway cost of living was its biggest priority. As a man once said about empty promises, is that not what you tend to do during an election? That is certainly true of you lads. The Government has de…

What of the renters of Ireland? Only a few months ago, the Government came forward with a Bill that will put renters on the hook for massive rent hikes, and now it shafts them again. There is no increase in the renters' tax credit, as Fianna Fáil promised, but Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil dug deep to increase the tax break for landlords to €1,000. Little wonder that most of those pushed into the nigh…

The first 100 days of Government ran out on 3 May, which is over six months ago. That promised pathway must have run up a cul-de-sac somewhere because it is nowhere to be seen. This broken commitment means parents continuing to fork out a small fortune in childcare fees. That childcare promise was just another one of the Government's trademark soundbites. Is it not embarrassed by the way it has tr…

Be clear that students and parents will not be fooled by the Government's spin, because they will feel it in their pockets. Budget 2026 should have abolished student fees for good. The Government should be on a pathway to that. That is what it should have done, but it chose not to. We provided for a cut of €1,500 on the pathway to that. That was the right thing to do. Broken promise number five i…

Its refusal and inability to do what needs to be done has locked a generation out of affordable housing to rent or buy, left people stuck in the box rooms of their parents' homes into their 30s and 40s, and sent young people packing to Canada and Australia because they have lost hope of ever owning a home of their own. These are the consequences of the Government’s failure.

Twelve years ago, Fine Gael rolled out the red carpet for the vulture funds with sweetheart tax arrangements, and nothing has changed. Today, its policy remains wedded to the interests of wealthy property funds, developers and big landlords over the housing needs of ordinary people. The Taoiseach today described this strategy as Government policy encouraging private investment to crowd in. What th…

It is not fair, and once again the Government sells carers short. Is buiséad é seo atá scríofa ag Fine Gael. Tá Fianna Fáil ar nós iománaithe ar an gclaí ag breathnú air. I measc pacáistí móra cánach, tréigeann an buiséad seo oibrithe agus teaghlaigh chun aire a thabhairt dóibh siúd atá ar bharr an dréimire. Níl giorrúchán ar bith ann do ghnáthoibrithe, ach tá gearradh mór cánach do thiarnaí talún…

It is incapable of keeping promises made and its budget is testimony to that.

Hear, hear.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an rún seo. I thank Deputy Quaide and the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion. In reality, there should not be need for this debate today. It is absolutely beyond argument that the carer's means test is unfair and disrespectful. As my colleague set out, it is actually demeaning. It needs to be scrapped. Two days before the general election was called in the previo…

The Government has a big problem with wasting public money. Yesterday, I raised with the Taoiseach that taxpayers will stump up €100,000 for another bicycle shed and the never-ending catalogue of waste on the watch of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The Government is pouring millions of euro in people's hard-earned money down the drain. The Comptroller and Auditor General's report published yesterday …

I asked the Minister two questions. Does the Government take responsibility for the scandalous waste and lack of accountability and proper management I have set out? By way of response, the Minister reached for everyone else bar the Government. He should attribute this waste to those who are in the accommodation. That is simply not an accurate reflection. That is not what the Comptroller and Audi…

No, responsibility for the state of play.

They are not responsible for the Minister’s incompetence. That is on him.

We have some very witty Members on the Labour Party benches urging Deputy Healy-Rae to talk to his brother. The big insurance rip-off continues. VHI customers will be hit with an increase today, quickly followed by Laya Healthcare and Irish Life Health in the coming days. The latest health insurance hike will see some families paying an extra €600 on their premiums. People now fork out almost €2,…

I want to extend a welcome to the Mayo Self Advocacy Group, which is joining us in the Public Gallery. This time last year, it was revealed Government spent €335,000 of taxpayers' money on a bike shed here in Leinster House. There was widespread public shock and anger but, of course, Government waste did not end there. We had €1.4 million for a security hut at Government buildings; €500,000 to re…

No. We are saying that a bike shed should not cost €335,000, nor should it cost €100,000. How is that? That is what we are saying. The Taoiseach may smirk if he wishes but the reality is his Government's track record in terms of wastage of public money is absolutely incredible. The Taoiseach's performance there and attempt at a smart-alecky narrative is probably the reason. He does not take it ser…

He is not struggling to make his rent or mortgage. In the bigger scheme of things, he can lean for national development plans and billions of euro, which he also squanders. He is bad at managing the small money so he is even worse at managing the big money. That is how we end up with the most expensive hospital in the world when it comes to the children's hospital, so do not be smart with me.

Do not be smart with me. I asked a serious question and I want a substantive answer. Does the Taoiseach, the head of Government, believe €100,000 on a bike shed is value for the hard-pressed taxpayer?

Please answer that.

Not agreed.

They are not agreed.

I want to return to the issue of Government waste. The Comptroller and Auditor General's annual report was published today and it makes for pretty damning reading in terms of lack of due diligence in the awarding of IPAS contracts. It confirms a concern that we have had for quite some time in relation to profiteering and lack of accountability in the awarding of IPAS contracts, lack of due diligen…

I want to know how the Taoiseach stands over this. It has happened on his watch.

1. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Health will next meet. [46218/25]