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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Jun 2022

Vol. 1024 No. 4

Emergency Budget: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]

The following motion was moved by Deputy Pearse Doherty on Tuesday, 28 June 2022:
That Dáil Éireann:
recognises that:
— citizens are struggling with the rising cost of living and need action from the Government now;
— the Government cannot protect everyone from the full impact of every price increase, some of which are being driven by international factors beyond its control;
— the Government is now projected to take in €5.6 billion more in tax revenue this year than had been expected on Budget day;
— the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council have advised that there is scope for additional measures to support the cost of living; and
— the Government can and must do more to support workers and families, and should do so now;
condemns:
— the hardship, anxiety and desperation being felt by households across the country, as a direct result of the Government's refusal to introduce measures to support workers and families at this time; and
— the dismissive attitude of the Government party leaders towards calls from workers, families, stakeholder groups and representatives for measures to address the cost-of-living crisis now;
commends the Cost of Living Coalition and the thousands of citizens who took to the streets to demand immediate measures from the Government to address the rising cost of living; and
calls for the immediate introduction of an emergency Budget, to introduce and extend further supports to workers and families to support them with the many high and rising costs they are now facing.
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"notes that:
— the annual rate of consumer price inflation, as measured by the European Union's Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, has picked up sharply in recent months, reaching a multi-decade high of 8.3 per cent in May;
— the key driver of inflation at present is the sharp rise in wholesale energy, food and other commodity prices since the onset of the war in Ukraine;
— Budget 2022 contained a large range of measures to protect households from the rising cost of living, including a personal income tax package worth €520 million next year and a social welfare package of over €550 million;
— a further suite of measures amounting to €505 million was announced on 10th February, 2022, with measures including an energy credit of €200 (inclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT)) to every household in the country, a once—off lump sum payment in respect of the Fuel Allowance, and a 20 per cent reduction in public transport fares;
— on 9th March, at an estimated cost of €320 million, the Government agreed to VAT-inclusive reductions in excise duty of 20 cent per litre in respect of petrol, 15 cent per litre in respect of diesel and 2 cent per litre in respect of Marked Gas Oil;
— in April and May, the Government announced a further set of measures amounting to almost €500 million, including a reduction in the VAT rate for electricity and gas to 9 per cent from 1st May until the end of October, an additional once-off lump sum payment in respect of the Fuel Allowance and the extension of the 9 per cent VAT rate for the hospitality sector until the end of February 2023; and
— on a cumulative basis, this brings the total cost-of-living package to approximately €2.4 billion;
recognises that:
— the Government has been pro-active in limiting the fall-out from higher rates of inflation;
— this follows the extensive support provided to households and firms during the pandemic, where the Government made available €48 billion of fiscal support, one of the most significant policy responses of any country in the world;
— Ireland's public debt is almost a quarter of a trillion euros as a result, and among the highest in the developed world on a per capita basis; and
— Ireland is a small open economy, where wage growth in excess of other economies erodes our competitiveness and puts future jobs and economic growth at risk; and
acknowledges that:
— the recent rise in inflation is primarily the result of global factors and consequently largely beyond the reach of Government policy;
— the recent increase in inflation is having a significant impact on the cost of living for Irish citizens;
— while the Government has already introduced a wide range of measures to mitigate the impacts of increases in the cost of living on citizens, it must pursue broadly neutral budgetary policy in order to contain domestic inflationary pressures;
— Government policy should focus on temporary and targeted measures, aimed at the most vulnerable;
— it is crucial that we do not have an inflation 'chain reaction' that would damage our international cost competitiveness;
— borrowing costs, including sovereign borrowing costs, are now on a rising trajectory, and accordingly, trade—offs are once again apparent and choices about tax and spending will have to be made, as revenue and expenditure will need to be aligned in order to avoid adding to the stock of debt; and
— the budgetary process is the best and most appropriate way to consider further action on the cost—of—living challenge and this issue must be addressed in a strategic, comprehensive and responsible manner."
- (Minister of State at the Department of Finance).

I must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding an emergency budget. On Tuesday, 28 June 2022, on the question, "That the amendment to the motion be agreed to", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 80(2), that division must be taken now.

The Dáil divided by electronic means.
Rinne an Dáil vótáil ar mhodh leictreonach.

The amendment is passed.

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, there is no doubt that people across the State are calling for emergency intervention.

We are in the middle of a vote, Deputy. Please resume your seat. The amendment has just been carried and I am now obliged to put the question-----

On a point of order, I am calling for a vote on the amendment by other than electronic means.

The Deputy can come back to that in a minute. I am in the middle of clarifying what has happened. The question now is, "That the motion, as amended, be agreed to."

No. As a teller in the vote on the amendment and given that the public is calling out for an emergency intervention on the cost-of-living crisis, I am asking for a vote on the amendment other than by electronic means.

In the interest of clarity, the question is, "That the motion, as amended be agreed to." A vote has been called for other than by electronic means. I am going to allow a roll-call vote on the motion, as amended.

To clarify, when the Leas Cheann-Comhairle announced the result of the vote on the amendment to the motion, I stood up as a teller in that vote and asked for a vote other than by electronic means. There has not been a division called on the substantive motion. We have not gone to that process. As a teller, I ask her to allow a vote other than by electronic means on the amendment.

The Chair has already ruled on this.

That is what happened.

(Interruptions).

I ask Deputies to show a little respect. This is complex and I am trying to clarify the situation. The amendment was carried. I stood up to put the question that the motion, as amended, be agreed to. I was interrupted by Deputy Doherty at that point asking that the vote be carried out by other than electronic means. I am conceding to that.

A Deputy

The vote should be on the motion, as amended.

I was putting that question when the interruption came, before I got to put it. I was in the process of putting it when the request came for a vote other than by electronic means on the amendment. I am allowing that.

Amendment again put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 69; Níl, 59; Staon, 0.

  • Brophy, Colm.
  • Browne, James.
  • Bruton, Richard.
  • Burke, Colm.
  • Cahill, Jackie.
  • Calleary, Dara.
  • Cannon, Ciarán.
  • Carey, Joe.
  • Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
  • Chambers, Jack.
  • Costello, Patrick.
  • Coveney, Simon.
  • Cowen, Barry.
  • Crowe, Cathal.
  • Devlin, Cormac.
  • Dillon, Alan.
  • Donnelly, Stephen.
  • Donohoe, Paschal.
  • Duffy, Francis Noel.
  • Durkan, Bernard J.
  • English, Damien.
  • Farrell, Alan.
  • Feighan, Frankie.
  • Flaherty, Joe.
  • Flanagan, Charles.
  • Fleming, Sean.
  • Foley, Norma.
  • Griffin, Brendan.
  • Harris, Simon.
  • Haughey, Seán.
  • Heydon, Martin.
  • Higgins, Emer.
  • Kehoe, Paul.
  • Lahart, John.
  • Lawless, James.
  • Leddin, Brian.
  • Madigan, Josepha.
  • Martin, Catherine.
  • Matthews, Steven.
  • McAuliffe, Paul.
  • McConalogue, Charlie.
  • McEntee, Helen.
  • McGrath, Michael.
  • McHugh, Joe.
  • Moynihan, Aindrias.
  • Moynihan, Michael.
  • Naughton, Hildegarde.
  • Noonan, Malcolm.
  • O'Brien, Darragh.
  • O'Callaghan, Jim.
  • O'Connor, James.
  • O'Donnell, Kieran.
  • O'Dowd, Fergus.
  • O'Gorman, Roderic.
  • O'Sullivan, Christopher.
  • O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
  • Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
  • Ó Cuív, Éamon.
  • Phelan, John Paul.
  • Rabbitte, Anne.
  • Richmond, Neale.
  • Ring, Michael.
  • Ryan, Eamon.
  • Smith, Brendan.
  • Smyth, Niamh.
  • Smyth, Ossian.
  • Stanton, David.
  • Troy, Robert.
  • Varadkar, Leo.

Níl

  • Andrews, Chris.
  • Bacik, Ivana.
  • Barry, Mick.
  • Berry, Cathal.
  • Boyd Barrett, Richard.
  • Brady, John.
  • Browne, Martin.
  • Buckley, Pat.
  • Cairns, Holly.
  • Canney, Seán.
  • Carthy, Matt.
  • Collins, Michael.
  • Conway-Walsh, Rose.
  • Cronin, Réada.
  • Crowe, Seán.
  • Cullinane, David.
  • Daly, Pa.
  • Doherty, Pearse.
  • Donnelly, Paul.
  • Ellis, Dessie.
  • Farrell, Mairéad.
  • Fitzpatrick, Peter.
  • Funchion, Kathleen.
  • Gannon, Gary.
  • Guirke, Johnny.
  • Harkin, Marian.
  • Healy-Rae, Danny.
  • Healy-Rae, Michael.
  • Howlin, Brendan.
  • Kelly, Alan.
  • Kenny, Gino.
  • Kenny, Martin.
  • Kerrane, Claire.
  • Lowry, Michael.
  • Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
  • McDonald, Mary Lou.
  • McNamara, Michael.
  • Munster, Imelda.
  • Murphy, Catherine.
  • Murphy, Paul.
  • Mythen, Johnny.
  • Nolan, Carol.
  • O'Callaghan, Cian.
  • O'Donoghue, Richard.
  • O'Rourke, Darren.
  • Ó Broin, Eoin.
  • Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
  • Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
  • Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
  • Pringle, Thomas.
  • Quinlivan, Maurice.
  • Ryan, Patricia.
  • Shortall, Róisín.
  • Smith, Bríd.
  • Smith, Duncan.
  • Stanley, Brian.
  • Tully, Pauline.
  • Ward, Mark.
  • Whitmore, Jennifer.

Staon

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Brendan Griffin and Jack Chambers; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Pearse Doherty.
Amendment declared carried.

Is the motion, as amended, agreed to?

Deputies

No. Vótáil.

The Dáil divided by electronic means.
Rinne an Dáil vótáil ar mhodh leictreonach.

As the difference between the "Tá" and "Níl" votes was ten or less, and considering that people in this country need help now and cannot wait until October, we ask for a vote other than by electronic means.

A vote has been called for other than by electronic means. As the difference in the vote was ten or less, the Deputy is allowed to call for a roll-call vote under Standing Order 83(3)(b).

Question again put: : "That the motion, as amended, be agreed to."
The Dáil divided: Tá, 69; Níl, 59; Staon, 0.

  • Brophy, Colm.
  • Browne, James.
  • Bruton, Richard.
  • Burke, Colm.
  • Cahill, Jackie.
  • Calleary, Dara.
  • Cannon, Ciarán.
  • Carey, Joe.
  • Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
  • Chambers, Jack.
  • Costello, Patrick.
  • Coveney, Simon.
  • Cowen, Barry.
  • Crowe, Cathal.
  • Devlin, Cormac.
  • Dillon, Alan.
  • Donnelly, Stephen.
  • Donohoe, Paschal.
  • Duffy, Francis Noel.
  • Durkan, Bernard J.
  • English, Damien.
  • Farrell, Alan.
  • Feighan, Frankie.
  • Flaherty, Joe.
  • Flanagan, Charles.
  • Fleming, Sean.
  • Foley, Norma.
  • Griffin, Brendan.
  • Harris, Simon.
  • Haughey, Seán.
  • Heydon, Martin.
  • Higgins, Emer.
  • Kehoe, Paul.
  • Lahart, John.
  • Lawless, James.
  • Leddin, Brian.
  • Madigan, Josepha.
  • Martin, Catherine.
  • Matthews, Steven.
  • McAuliffe, Paul.
  • McConalogue, Charlie.
  • McEntee, Helen.
  • McGrath, Michael.
  • McHugh, Joe.
  • Moynihan, Aindrias.
  • Moynihan, Michael.
  • Naughton, Hildegarde.
  • Noonan, Malcolm.
  • O'Brien, Darragh.
  • O'Callaghan, Jim.
  • O'Connor, James.
  • O'Donnell, Kieran.
  • O'Dowd, Fergus.
  • O'Gorman, Roderic.
  • O'Sullivan, Christopher.
  • O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
  • Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
  • Ó Cuív, Éamon.
  • Phelan, John Paul.
  • Rabbitte, Anne.
  • Richmond, Neale.
  • Ring, Michael.
  • Ryan, Eamon.
  • Smith, Brendan.
  • Smyth, Niamh.
  • Smyth, Ossian.
  • Stanton, David.
  • Troy, Robert.
  • Varadkar, Leo.

Níl

  • Andrews, Chris.
  • Bacik, Ivana.
  • Barry, Mick.
  • Berry, Cathal.
  • Boyd Barrett, Richard.
  • Brady, John.
  • Browne, Martin.
  • Buckley, Pat.
  • Cairns, Holly.
  • Canney, Seán.
  • Carthy, Matt.
  • Collins, Michael.
  • Conway-Walsh, Rose.
  • Cronin, Réada.
  • Crowe, Seán.
  • Cullinane, David.
  • Daly, Pa.
  • Doherty, Pearse.
  • Donnelly, Paul.
  • Ellis, Dessie.
  • Farrell, Mairéad.
  • Fitzpatrick, Peter.
  • Funchion, Kathleen.
  • Gannon, Gary.
  • Guirke, Johnny.
  • Harkin, Marian.
  • Healy-Rae, Danny.
  • Healy-Rae, Michael.
  • Howlin, Brendan.
  • Kelly, Alan.
  • Kenny, Gino.
  • Kenny, Martin.
  • Kerrane, Claire.
  • Lowry, Michael.
  • Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
  • McDonald, Mary Lou.
  • McNamara, Michael.
  • Munster, Imelda.
  • Murphy, Catherine.
  • Murphy, Paul.
  • Mythen, Johnny.
  • Nolan, Carol.
  • O'Callaghan, Cian.
  • O'Donoghue, Richard.
  • O'Rourke, Darren.
  • Ó Broin, Eoin.
  • Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
  • Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
  • Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
  • Pringle, Thomas.
  • Quinlivan, Maurice.
  • Ryan, Patricia.
  • Shortall, Róisín.
  • Smith, Bríd.
  • Smith, Duncan.
  • Stanley, Brian.
  • Tully, Pauline.
  • Ward, Mark.
  • Whitmore, Jennifer.

Staon

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Brendan Griffin and Jack Chambers; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Pearse Doherty.
Question declared carried.
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