SENATOR FRANK FEIGHAN
‘The gains we have made as a country are hard won and fragile, especially in the context of Brexit, but we are in a position to use some of the resources from our growing economy to help hard-pressed working families’
SENATOR FRANK FEIGHAN
‘We are continuing the process started in the last few Budgets of reducing high levels of taxation on modest incomes’
SENATOR FRANK FEIGHAN
‘This Budget delivers for farmers and is another important step forward in supporting rural Ireland. We cannot achieve all we want to in one year, but we are using the benefits of a strong economy to improve people’s lives’
DEPUTY MICHAEL FITZMAURICE
‘I am very disappointed at the lack of spending on rural development and regeneration in this Budget. Overall, while it was a Budget that contained some good measures, no one in rural Ireland will be getting too excited by what’s in it’
DEPUTY MICHAEL FITZMAURICE
‘Thankfully common sense has prevailed on the price of diesel. A month ago it looked certain that there would be an increase but I took the Government and the so-called ‘Green Army’ on and thankfully no increases were made in this Budget’
DEPUTY MICHAEL FITZMAURICE
‘Middle Ireland has got very little out of this Budget. They have about €3 extra a week – which won’t go too far’
SENATOR MAURA HOPKINS
‘I am happy that the measures announced on Tuesday will help families concerned about access to good quality, affordable childcare’
SENATOR MAURA HOPKINS
‘I am particularly delighted to see positive changes to be introduced for the self-employed following many years of discrimination towards them’
SENATOR MAURA HOPKINS
‘It is positive that people getting the carer’s allowance, disability allowance and jobseeker’s benefit and allowance will see an increase of €5 per week as well as those in receipt of the State Pension’
MINISTER DENIS NAUGHTEN
‘Budget 2017 fairly distributes the limited resources that are available and will ensure that both existing and new jobs are supported’
MINISTER DENIS NAUGHTEN
‘This Budget is very much a first step and we hope over the term of this Government by working together in a spirit of co-operation we can deliver for every single community in Roscommon Galway’
MINISTER DENIS NAUGHTEN
‘The Budget includes investment in energy efficiency which will support up to 60 locals jobs as well as reducing costs for business and home owners…while there are additional supports for farming’
Hard-pressed taxpayers… and press releases
Whatever about Vincent Browne’s ‘tweet machine,’ the ‘email machine’ at the Roscommon People was overworked from Tuesday afternoon as local politicians gave their reaction to Budget 2017.
Next week, we’ll have more Budget reaction – a bit like the wily Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice, who said that he’ll go into more detail when the finer detail of the Budget emerges in the coming days.
For the moment, Fine Gael Senators Frank Feighan and Maura Hopkins are welcoming measures to do with childcare, health, farming, Garda numbers, jobs and ‘hard-pressed taxpayers.’
Deputy Fitzmaurice, who came so close to entering Government but stayed out at the last moment, is less impressed. He has welcomed some measures but criticised the overall package, particularly with regard to rural Ireland.
Denis Naughten, still an Independent but now a Government Minister, says the Budget is a first step and, in that sense, a good start.
We haven’t heard yet from Senator Terry Leyden – he was in Strasbourg, where he met French President Francois Hollande. Leyden’s Fianna Fáil colleague, Deputy Eugene Murphy, has also been silent so far – perhaps, like Deputy Fitzmaurice, he is waiting for more detail before giving his verdict. – PH
