Criticism has been levelled at the Government’s €3 Budget rise for pensioners receiving the Living Alone allowance.
It comes as Ministers were forced to defend a €14 million increase in spending on overseas aid and funding for Ukraine.
Not only was Irish Aid’s €855 million funding increased, but €19.5 million was allocated to the Emigrant Support Programme – a €4.25 million increase – prompting questions of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, and junior minister Neale Richmond.
In a speech delivered in the Dáil this afternoon, Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said “you would not get a cup of tea for €3,” as he hit out at the meagre increase for pensioners as “shameful.”
Funding of €19.5 million for the Government’s Emigrant Support Programme in 2027 is the highest funding under the programme to date, while separately, €3 million in funding was allocated to support women and girls in Afghanistan.
Deputy Healy-Rae said in an emotionally charged speech on Wednesday: “Consider what the Government has done in the past couple of years. A €2 billion loan was given to Ukraine in January of this year.
“That was on top of €670 million that was given in different ways. President Zelenskyy was given €125 million in one day. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, went over with €40 million at the height of the protest. She gave it to Ukraine while the protests were happening here.”
The Kerry Independent TD was referring to the EU’s agreement to establish a €90 billion loan for Ukraine for 2026-27. The Dáil subsequently debated and approved Ireland’s participation in late January.
€2 BILLION FOR UKRAINE
Healy-Rae has asked repeatedly how much of the €90 billion Ireland would ultimately be responsible for. Speaking today, Healy-Rae said that he “tried as hard as he could” to find out what Ireland’s contribution would be. The Deputy said he had since been made aware that the figure for Ireland was €2 billion.
“Every shilling and euro that is given to our own people has to be accounted for here. The day we came in here – Tuesday, 29 January – the agenda was changed from whatever it was to be and we were to debate becoming part of the EU fund of €90 billion for Ukraine,” said Healy-Rae.
“I tried as hard as I could to find out how much we would have to pay and how much our part of it would be. I could not find out that day and I am sure no one else found out because I even spoke here in the Chamber and asked to see how much was our part. I was told it was just 2%. Yet, 80 TDs came in here at the behest of the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, and the Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, and they voted to be part of this fund without knowing that day. I know now that it was €2 billion.”
Pressing down hard on the small increase for pensioners living alone, Deputy Healy-Rae said: “We are talking about giving an extra €3 to someone living alone. Consider the cost of home heating oil. People’s hopes had been built.
PENSIONERS HAD BEEN ‘HOPING GOVT WOULD DO SOMETHING’
“They have not bought kerosene for the past couple of months because they were hoping the Government would do something because it said it would do something. What it has actually done is it has given them is €50 off a fill of oil that will cost €1,500. It has gone up from somewhere between €700 and €800 last year.”
He said that since last night, the talk about the Budget had been “about the miserly increase that was given to old age people living alone.”
“It is €3. You would not get a cup of tea for €3. You certainly would not get a cup of coffee. You cannot buy a bar of chocolate for it, or you certainly will not get much for it. It is shameful. It would have been better not to mention it all, or not say anything about it.”
Healy-Rae further called for the carbon tax to be scrapped, adding that the cost of white and green diesel, as well as kerosene, was putting pressure on households, businesses, farmers, and contractors. He added that the cost of green diesel specifically meant that the construction industry was being overlooked.
“Day after day, we are begging the Government to do something on green diesel for the construction sector. The Taoiseach promised it last May. The Tánaiste promised it as well. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, said the Government was working on it.
The Deputy argued the Government could have used its surplus to provide more assistance for working families, as he flagged concerns about rural pubs, fuel allowances, farmers, and rural services.
“Then there is the cost of rent. Normal going for rents now is €1,600. People cannot afford that. That is €400 a week. The people could get planning on their land but they are being forced into the market, driving up the price of housing inside in towns as well as all the other things.
“I have nothing against the Ukrainian people. They are not wrong. It was the Government that was wrong. It was the Taoiseach who was wrong and gave all this money out at different times to Ukraine and he left his own here. The remains of it are to be seen.”
“€3 for a pensioner living alone. That is what he gave them.”
RICHMOND AND MCENTEE DEFEND FOREIGN AID INCREASE
Junior minister Neale Richmond, who has responsibility for international development, claimed on Wednesday that spending on overseas aid was a “strategically smart investment to make.”
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Helen McEntee rejected criticism of €65m in aid to Ukraine this year for humanitarian assistance
“It is costing Ukraine about €125m every day to withstand the aggression from Russia,” she said. “I think we have contributed a lot of money, but in comparison to what it is that’s taking them to withstand the aggression and protect not just themselves, but the rest of Europe, it is phenomenal.”