There is going to be chaos in our health system next year, just as there was each year before because the Government is deliberately not making the types of improvements and reforms required with the funding that is necessary. It stands in stark contrast to Sinn Féin's comprehensive proposals. We have a plan to reform the health service, boost capacity, train the workforce of tomorrow and reduce the costs for ordinary workers and families. We would take big, bold steps towards universal healthcare, delivering 150,0…

----- to protect people from the cost-of-living crisis in the here and now, to make a lasting difference in people's lives and to tackle social exclusion and poverty. The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, talked about child poverty being a priority of the Government. Some 230,000 children are currently experiencing material deprivation. This is an increase of almost 30,000 children since 2022. If that is a priority, the Government is fairly failing at it.

The rise comes amid a 3% real decline in the average disposable income of households with children. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have failed families and failed children, and child poverty is deepening as a result. Child benefit is a crucial tool for tackling child poverty and supporting families. After Fianna Fáil crashed the economy in 2008, it made children pay. Remember that, Micheál? It made the children pay. It cut the child benefit across the board. Fine Gael continued to put the pressure on children and famili…

Initially-----

Listen. None of your bull. You cut the child benefit and you squeezed the children further.

That is the reality.

Is Deputy Micheál Martin trying to deny that Fianna Fáil cut the child benefit or is Fine Gael trying to say it did not make cuts to child benefit for later children and abolish the grants for multiple children? That is the reality, folks. Do not deny reality; own it and embrace it.

Fine Gael then cut child benefit across the board by a further €10 for the first and second children and there was a steeper cut for the third child.

Today, the rate is still below where it was in 2008, despite the fact that we have €24 billion of a surplus. That is how children were made to pay during the austerity period and Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will not deal with it. That is why child poverty is getting worse under Fine Gael's watch. That is why there are 30,000 more children in material deprivation under Fine Gael's watch. This is the politics of today. These are the consequences of the Government's decision and the decision to slash that support in the…

The Government did make announcements, but riddle me this, why did it single out carers? Why are carers the only category of people who will have to wait until July to get the benefit of what has been announced? What have carers done? Why are they not able to benefit like anybody else on 1 January 2025?

Would the Taoiseach like the floor to answer the question?

Why is the carer's allowance means test change not available to them in January and why did the Government single them out as the only category of people who must wait a further six months? It is disrespectful to carers and the work they do. As I said, what needed to be done here was an announcement of the abolition of the means test. This would really make a meaningful difference in the lives of carers. Many are locked out of the support they need. Ó thaobh na Gaeltachta de, tchímid go bhfuil fadhb mhillteanach ó …

-----and workers and families cannot afford another five years of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. Every day this Government is in office, it squanders valuable time.

It also, however, squanders taxpayers' money. Even though he is in charge of the OPW, it was interesting that the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, did not mention during his 45-minute speech any of the projects the Government is wasting millions on, including the bike shed, the national children's hospital, the security hut and houses for Ukrainians that have seen a 120% increase. Yet the Government tries to preach prudence and fiscal rectitude. This budget was supposed to be about giving people hope, but it does not. Whe…

Aontaím leis an méid atá ráite ag an Teachta Ó Murchú ó thaobh na ATMs seo agus an chaoi nach bhfuil seirbhís trí Ghaeilge á cur ar fáil. Ba chóir go mbeidh gá seirbhís trí Ghaeilge a chur ar fáil. Tá a fhios againn gur féidir é seo a dhéanamh. Rinneadh é roimhe seo. Tá a fhios againn, nuair a théimid go dtí ATM, go bhfuilimid ábalta seirbhís a fháil i go leor teangacha difriúla, ach níl teanga dhúchais ár dtíre ar fáil iontu. Tá an fhadhb seo i gceantair Ghaeltachta fosta. Ba chóir go dtarlóidh sé. Feictear é sin …

Tá mé ag ardú na ceiste ó thaobh na híocaíochta ón Stát do dhídean ar cíos do mhuintir ón Úcráin. Mar is eol don Aire, chuir Sinn Féin in éadan an síneadh ama don scéim seo ag tús na bliana. Dúirt muid ag an am sin go raibh an scéim ag cur brú ar an earnáil cíosa príobháidí. Is é sin an rud atá tarlaithe ó shin. The accommodation recognition payment, ARP, scheme for Ukrainian refugees was introduced at a time of great uncertainty in 2022. I ask the Minister again today to look at the impact of this scheme. As he is…

As the Minister knows, this payment is nothing to do with the temporary protection directive. This is Irish legislation. We can change, end or amend it. Indeed, we argued that existing Ukrainian residents would be supported but that the policy should not displace homes that should be available to the private rental sector. The Government voted against that in February. This is why we are in a situation whereby about a thousand additional homes come within scope for this payment every month. This is putting pressure…

We put the amendments down. The Government voted against them.

With respect, we put amendments down-----

-----stating what should happen.