Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, said that Budget 2019 fails the most vulnerable while delivering for those who need it least – bankers and landlords.

The Sinn Féin TD said the government is attempting to buy the votes of the people with the scraps from the table while the real prizes have been given to landlords and those profiteering from the housing crisis.

Teachta Crowe said:

“The government has not adequately prioritised tackling the rising cost of living, the ongoing health and trolley crisis or the housing emergency in this Budget.

“Some 10,000 citizens are homeless, 4000 of them are children. That’s 4000 lives, 4000 childhoods forever altered because Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are simply unable to present a Budget that takes their side.

“There is nothing in this budget for renters, for struggling families, for people on trolleys or the 718,000 currently on hospital waiting lists.

“The government is attempting to buy the votes of the people with the scraps off the table while the real prizes have been given to landlords and those profiteering from the housing crisis.

“Budget 2019 offers the clearest signal of all that the Government’s target of lifting 100,000 children out of poverty by 2020 will not be met.

“While the increase in the Qualified Child payments and especially, for children over 12 years of age is welcome, the poverty being experienced by low income families and lone parent families is ignored.

“Budget 2019 gives a little to everyone but it lacks the vision and aspirations needed to transform society, particularly for those suffering the most.”

ENDS