No lessons learned from the Covid Emergency: Pre-budget leaks suggest a budget that is “hopelessly inadequate” and “insulting” as cost of living spirals
Refusal to raise tax revenue from the spiralling profits and wealth of the richest leaves only crumbs for those in need and big crises facing our society
In a statement before today’s budget, Richard Boyd Barrett TD, spokesperson on Finance & Housing said the raft of government leaks suggest a “budget that will be hopelessly inadequate to address the cost of living crisis and the other major crises facing Irish society in housing, healthcare and climate change.”
Deputy Boyd Barrett said the government had completely failed to learn the lessons of the Covid Pandemic:
“The big lesson of the Covid pandemic was that when our society is facing a major emergency, the government must be willing to take big, bold and unprecedented measures, with the state intervening, where the market has failed. Business as usual just won’t cut it. And while the Covid emergency is easing up, we are still facing major emergencies in housing, in our public health system, in the cost of living and energy and, of course the climate, and all we get from the government are pathetic crumbs.”
He described the mooted increase of only €5 per week in core social welfare payments as “completely insulting against a background of spiralling energy prices and the rapidly rising cost of living.”
“The massive hike in energy prices combined with the government’s determination to go ahead with further carbon tax hikes means many of the least well off and vulnerable will struggle to keep their homes warm and pay the bills over the coming year.”
Deputy Boyd Barrett said the mooted discretionary package of €1 billion in new spending “was billions short of what was needed to address the housing crisis and a hospital waiting list crisis which were continuing to spiral of control.”
“The untold story of the pandemic is that corporate profits and the wealth of the very richest have gone through the roof. The governments refusal to ask this super-wealthy group pay some additional tax, means ordinary working people who are really struggling, and our public service are only thrown pathetic crumbs.”
