Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I absolutely get that. It is normal practice that the distributional impact of a budget would provided in the Exchequer report. A bit of a con job was attempted to be perpetrated against the Irish people, quite frankly. I read the documents and I do not see any separate, isolated analysis for the measures and provisions that apply for 2023 exclusively. Of course, when one looks in the round at the once-off package of €4.1 billion and add that to the budget 2023 package, it looks very impressive.

However, the reality is as follows, and I will quote from the Economic and Social Research Institute’s, ESRI’s, post-budget analysis statement. It states: "...below forecast inflation increases to tax credits and welfare payments next year will mean many lower-income households will experience real terms cuts in living standards in the latter half of 2023 without a repeat of the welfare bonuses, lump-sum payments and household energy credits." The reality is that people who are struggling today will continue to struggle next year in the absence of any additional once-off support. It would be very useful, and in the interest of transparency, for the Minister to publish an isolated budget 2023 distributional impact. It is normally done through the SWITCH analysis, which is a very important measure.

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