Laois TD claims low income workers not adequately supported in Budget

The Government has failed to adequately support low and middle income workers and renters in Budget 2023, a local TD has claimed. 

Deputy Brian Stanley has criticised the government for not freezing rents and claimed landlords will use a Budget tax break to hike rents.

“Failure to introduce a rent freeze ensures that renters will continue to face financial uncertainty going forward as landlords will use the tax credit to hike rents. Sinn Féin has long advocated for renters to receive a one month’s tax credit but this must be accompanied  with a rent freeze,” he stated. 

Deputy Stanley said “the budget provides for no additional social and affordable homes to purchase. The provision of these units are essential components for resolving the housing crisis. Instead, the Government has written another blank cheque to landlords through an increase of €97 Million in rent subsidies. Rent supports should only be a short-term measure.’’

Describing the minimum wage increase of 80 cent for low paid workers as “derisory”, he called for a €1.40 increase in order to reach a living wage by the end of 2023.

He  said:  “The Government's income tax changes also fail to benefit lower income workers. According to the CSO, the medium wage in Ireland is €36,095 meaning that less than 50% of workers will receive no benefit from the higher tax threshold  moving from €36,800 to €40,000. Sinn Féin would have reduced USC and tapered it so low- and middle-income workers benefited the most.’’

According to Deputy Stanley, “the budget does nothing to deal with the root cause of the energy price crisis. Instead, the Government is writing a blank cheque. The energy credits for households will again be pocketed by the energy companies. Sinn Féin wanted to cap energy prices and introduce a windfall tax to ensure that energy companies would be financially penalised for price gouging.”

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He said  “workers and families face a further increase in the carbon tax this October, yet the Government's retrofit plans do not prioritise low- and middle-income households. Sinn Féin has proposed a number of targeted retrofit schemes that would prioritise regions like the Midlands that are dependent on solid fuel and also a tiered scheme based on household income. The Government has also continued its scheme to subsidise the purchase of expensive Electric Vehicles such as SUV’s and land rovers mainly in urban areas like South Dublin which have adequate public transport.‘’

“In Health, Sinn Féin welcomes the Government’s decision to adopt our long-advocated proposal to expand the GP visit card. But there are no targets to address the crisis in our hospital system. There are no figures for additional critical care beds in the budget despite Ireland being well below the EU average. Sinn Féin’s alternative budget commits to rapidly expanding our hospital capacity with 500 extra beds plus 37 additional ICU beds,” said Deputy  Stanley. 

“Despite committing large amounts of public money, this Government failed to put it where it's most needed,” he argued.