'Money is spread so thinly, people won't notice it' - Labour hits out at Budget 2023

“Shock and awe” measures announced in the budget are not enough to help people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, the Labour Party has said.

TD Ged Nash said the money announced by the Government would be spread so thinly many people would not notice it.

He was speaking in the Dail after ministers Paschal Donohoe and Michael McGrath announced Budget 2023.

He said: “Some of the one-off shock-and-awe measures we have seen today flatter to deceive.

“The four billion euro self-proclaimed bonanza is really designed to take the bare look off the meagre budget for 2023.

“A lot of money spread so thinly that some won’t even notice it while many, far too many, will still need more by the time this winter is out.

“The mantra of this budget was supposed to be targeting.

“On the evidence of this budget, your shooting, ministers, is way off.”

Mr Nash said the worse off would see the least benefit from the budget.

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He added: “Take your income tax measures; next year somebody earning 100,000 euro will be 831 euro a year better off.

“Contrast that with the situation of someone who is earning between 25,000 and 35,000 euro. They will earn an additional four euro a week.”

Party colleague Duncan Smith TD said: “Politics is about choices and it is clear this Government has made theirs.

“The giddiness that I’ve seen in the corridors outside this chamber today about this budget is not reflected in the households and businesses up and down this country.

“Most of the measures are either reheated, half-baked or they are just not going to be enough to help people.”

Joint leader of the Social Democrats Roisin Shortall said short-term measures would not benefit people in the long term.

She told the Dail: “Today’s budget has been billed as a giveaway budget.

“At nearly 11 billion euro it is the largest one for years.

“But who will benefit the most from what has been announced today?

“If we look behind the figures it becomes very clear it is those on high incomes who will be most rewarded by this government with tax cuts and an array of universal lump sum payments that disproportionally benefit the better off.”

She added: “Temporary supports will not help people in the medium to long term. They will not provide sustainable relief to those who can no longer afford the soaring prices for necessities.

“The tragedy is that this was a budget that could have made a real difference to people’s lives.

“Never before has a government had so much money to invest in lifting people out of poverty and improving our public services.”