The budget has been criticised as “hopelessly inadequate” to address Ireland’s housing and health crisis.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said the Government is giving out “nothing more than crumbs” in its budget for next year.
He said it appears from leaks of the budget that there is nothing to address the rental crisis.
He also criticised the €5 increase in the weekly pension.
#Budget22 mere crumbs from the table https://t.co/DbOHsOJtDb
Advertisement— People Before Profit (@pb4p) October 12, 2021
“Judging by the raft of leaks that we have seen about the budget, it would appear that it is going to be hopelessly inadequate to deal with the spiralling cost-of-living crisis, to deal with the housing crisis and to deal with the absolute disastrous situation in our public health situation.
“The Government is giving out nothing more than crumbs to try and tick a few boxes, but in reality the measures are insulting.
“Five miserable euro for people on social welfare and pensioners who are facing massive hikes in energy costs and in the wider cost of living.
“There is nothing we can see in the budget to address the rental crisis, where people are already screwed with extortionate rents and the Government have appeared to take no measures to help people pay unaffordable rents.”
He said the discretionary spending of €1 billion falls short of what is needed to address the rising cost of living and to protect vulnerable people against energy price hikes.
It's time to tax the rich 💰
A 2% tax on assets over €1m would bring in €4.9bn, enough to:
🏡 Build 10,000 homes
👩🎓 Scrap all college fee
👵 Reduce pension age to 65
🏫 Provide free school meals nationwide
🚌 Make public transport free for all#Budget22— Paul Murphy 🏳️⚧️ (@paulmurphy_TD) October 12, 2021
“The Government had and have options because the untold story over the last couple of years is that the profits of corporations and the wealth of the super rich in Irish society has gone through the roof,” Mr Boyd Barrett added.
“There could have been additional taxes put on that group that could have given us the billions we need to address the cost of living crisis and give the poorest and vulnerable a real break and put the money we need to deal with a housing and health crisis that is spiralling out of control.
“This is a pathetic and hopelessly inadequate budget of crumbs that is going to leave people bitterly disappointed.”
