Fine GaelThe Fine Gael finance spokesman, Mr Richard Bruton, described the Budget as "crafty and cunning".
It was designed, he said, to push the right buttons. "It has been designed to bury the McCreevy image. The spin doctors say that it lost votes in June, so all that has to be changed."
The key test, said Mr Bruton, was if it would change people's lives. "Against that standard it will not succeed. All that glitters is not gold. And when you rub this Budget, you will see the same dull, leaden surface underneath."
Noting that the Minister had received a round of applause from the Government benches, Mr Bruton said: "I would remind him that the very same rapturous applause accompanied the presentation of last year's budget. But the Minister is no longer here.
"A clap in the back in December turned into a knife in the back in July. So, I think, take heed."
There were some things to welcome in the Budget, he said. "It is welcome to see that the minimum wage will be taken out of the tax bracket. However, by April it will be back into the tax bracket as the minimum wage increases."
Tackling the issue was long overdue. "It is not an issue of great pride to say that we are taking people who are on €273 a week out of the income tax code."
He said that after the Minister had sat down, there were 633,000 people on the top rate of income tax.
Mr Bruton said it was disappointing that the Budget had barely started to undo the damage inflicted on the less well-off in the community.
"No mention has been made of reversing the 'savage 16' that we heard were going to be reversed.
"Already, pensioners who are to receive €12 a week, have seen that spent in increases in gas, ESB, health charges, bin charges, bus fares to mention just a few.
"At least €8 of that have been absorbed before they even get the money," he added.
Mr Bruton said that while he welcomed the disability programme, it was built on a Disability Bill which was fundamentally flawed.
He criticised the Minister for failing to deal with child poverty. Commitments made had not been met. "There is unanimity that we need to address the child dependant allowance, which is there for people on welfare," said Mr Bruton. "Nothing has been done to help those people."
He was glad, he said, to see relief for those in private rented accommodation. "But is 88 cents a week, which is the additional relief you are giving to them, going to make any significant difference to people on low incomes?"
Mr Bruton accused the Government of being prepared to drift towards its 10 years in office without introducing the necessary reform.
"Perhaps they do not see the scope for change. But, God knows, they have enough advisers and consultants and reports to help them see and find the way. Perhaps they are afraid to upsetting some cosy consensus. Perhaps they are just there too long."
Mr Bruton said the Government had failed to deal with issues such as the high cost of childcare, chaos in traffic policy, the struggle to make ends meet, the frustration in finding help for children with special needs, the worry among people that they could not afford healthcare.
