If Brexit deal passes Govt must revisit Budget 2020

Speaking in response to the draft Brexit deal agreed between the Barnier team and the British government, the leader of the Labour Party, Brendan Howlin TD, called on Leo Varadkar to introduce a  supplementary budget to keep pensions in line with inflation.

Deputy Howlin said:

“The people did not endure a decade of privation in order to suffer further cutbacks under Fine Gael when the public finances are back in balance.

“If the deal is accepted by the British Parliament on Saturday, the threat of no deal is over, and the Government should immediately move to amend the terms of the social welfare package in Budget 2020.

“It was hugely unfair for Fine Gael to make pensioners, carers and people with disabilities pay the price for a potential ‘no deal’ Brexit. After all, Paschal Donohoe found money to give €5000 to wealthy inheritors and €150 to the self-employed.

“If no deal Brexit has been averted, there is ample time to revise the draft Social Welfare Bill to give a €5 increase to all social welfare recipients. With the cost of living rising fast, this is necessary to avoid Fine Gael’s budget being an effective cut of over €3 a week.”