Fitzmaurice, Michael

Budget Statement 2021 (Continued)

I welcome this opportunity to speak on today's budget. Like most people who have spoken on the supports for businesses affected, I welcome what has been provided. The devil will be in the detail ...

I also welcome other aspects of the budget, such as those in the areas of the fuel allowance and the living alone allowance. One thing that struck me, however, when the Minister referred to busi...

Turning to the HSE, and I have heard the debate here this evening, we hear about all of this money being provided. I refer to €4 billion or €4.5 billion. Most of the beds, however, are already ...

There was talk about the giveaway budget today, but a few months ago there were kids, and some of them still are kids, who could not be carried to school because of the so-called green agenda. W...

It is a reckless budget which is trying to destroy rural people, middle Ireland and farmers. People from middle Ireland are the people the Tánaiste said get up early in the morning and go to work....

As regards the farming community, I welcome the extension to stamp duty relief. I welcome anything that is positive but in the farming sector, we do not know what kinds of tariffs will be laid o...

As regards transport, look at what happened today. We are now going to try to haul our beef and different farm products, because whether people like it or not all our food is hauled, either with...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Excise - Mineral Oil Tax: Motion (Continued)

How any rural Deputy could support this baffles me. Any working couple in rural Ireland who needs a car or to heat a house will be at least €300 worse off next year. That amount will increase yea...

Be they in a city or the countryside, people must remember that all food travels by lorry and that, although some lorries are moving to gas, lorries usually burn diesel. In rural Ireland, many p...

We are now telling farmers that we will screw them more. The Government will probably claim that, in light of double taxation, a farmer will not pay this, but the reality is that farmers pay tha...

Let the Government not twist and turn out of this. We are crucifying rural Ireland while also asking it to sequester this so-called carbon.

Is there fresh water with that?

Financial Resolution No. 3 - Value Added Tax: Motion (Continued)

I hope this measure works but if people are not going into these businesses because of the restrictions, it will be fairly difficult to pinpoint the figure involved. I support the measure but have...