Michael Collins criticises U.S.C. and demands budget accountability
Michael Collins spoke in opposition to the budget, criticising the Universal Social Charge (U.S.C.) and other taxes as unfair and arguing the minister failed to protect low-paid workers, carers and small businesses. He said recommendations from local groups were ignored and called for clear accountability over where public money is spent.
Michael Collins said the U.S.C. is an unfair charge that hits ordinary low-paid workers who see a portion of their pay packet removed weekly. He argued the budget missed an opportunity to exempt many low-income people and that promises to abolish the charge had not been honoured.
He warned that cafes, restaurants, hairdressers and publicans are closing due to rising costs - rates, energy, staff, water and food - and criticised the minister for not engaging with those most affected when visiting Kinsale. He said the Vec9 group put forward strong recommendations that were not taken on board, leaving many businesses in a dire situation.
Michael Collins highlighted delays in wastewater works and uncertainty in the 2025-2029 plan, citing named towns and businesses that do not know their status. He described the prospect of living with untreated wastewater as inhumane and questioned the planning and delivery of local infrastructure projects.
He criticised means testing that he said penalises carers and vulnerable households where a small extra payment can block access to supports. He also said a promised fuel rebate for fishermen was not pursued to deliver relief to that sector.
Michael Collins called repeatedly for accountability on public spending, citing examples he said people worry about - a nine million phone pouch expense, cost overruns on a children’s hospital and other projects - and insisted the public deserves to know where hard-earned taxes are going. He concluded by warning that the country is taxing people to the ground and said he would press strongly for clarity and accountability.
U.S.C. and impact on workers
Michael Collins said the U.S.C. is an unfair charge that hits ordinary low-paid workers who see a portion of their pay packet removed weekly. He argued the budget missed an opportunity to exempt many low-income people and that promises to abolish the charge had not been honoured.
Pressure on small businesses in West Cork
He warned that cafes, restaurants, hairdressers and publicans are closing due to rising costs - rates, energy, staff, water and food - and criticised the minister for not engaging with those most affected when visiting Kinsale. He said the Vec9 group put forward strong recommendations that were not taken on board, leaving many businesses in a dire situation.
Wastewater and infrastructure delays
Michael Collins highlighted delays in wastewater works and uncertainty in the 2025-2029 plan, citing named towns and businesses that do not know their status. He described the prospect of living with untreated wastewater as inhumane and questioned the planning and delivery of local infrastructure projects.
Means testing, carers and fishermen
He criticised means testing that he said penalises carers and vulnerable households where a small extra payment can block access to supports. He also said a promised fuel rebate for fishermen was not pursued to deliver relief to that sector.
Demand for accountability and examples of waste
Michael Collins called repeatedly for accountability on public spending, citing examples he said people worry about - a nine million phone pouch expense, cost overruns on a children’s hospital and other projects - and insisted the public deserves to know where hard-earned taxes are going. He concluded by warning that the country is taxing people to the ground and said he would press strongly for clarity and accountability.
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Transcript
Look, Minister, it's unfortunate that there's a guillotine here and we won't get an opportunity to speak on so many issues in relation to the budget of great importance to the people of our country. It's a terrible situation. That's the way we're forced. Quite a lot of discussion has been built in around the U.S.C. and that tax is a very unfair tax on the people out there. I know you'll say the tax is needed, but there are so many taxes out there today. It's hitting hard the ordinary low-paid workers who see that few quill out of their pay packet every week as a U.S.C. charge a charge that he promised that he'd abolish and others promised that he'd abolish as well. Since he went into government, he just had an unfortunate to the misery by leaving it there. There is a situation where low-income workers do feel the pinch and I felt maybe this is an opportunity in this budget that you could have turned that around by exempting many of those from the U.S.C. charge, but unfortunately you didn't deem that fit. A lot of business people are caught in a lot of drastic situations. The Vec9 ministers were something less of a serious interest when you were down in Kinsale there recently. I'm a bit surprised that you didn't go around to meet a lot of those who are hit very badly in West Cork when you had the opportunity. When you are down, you shouldn't shy away from the real people, the people that are in a dire situation. They are paying rates, energy, staff, water, cost of food and cafes, and they are closing down one after another. You stood idly by and allowed that to happen all over Ireland, but in particular my own constituency in West Cork. There are numerous cafes after closing and numerous businesses. The Vec9 group did put forward very good and very strong recommendations to you, and you failed to take them on board and left them, and basically let these small businesses, cafes, restaurants, hairdressers in a dire situation, and publicans in a dire situation. You know, accountability, it's okay to be saying, okay, the U.S.C. charge is there and we need that money to pay for lots of things, but there is no accountability of where money is going to this country minister, and people are crying out for accountability. You know, we have seen the nine million was for phone pouches, you have children's hospital where millions and millions has gone into billions overrun, you have, you know, the bike shed here, and different things that are a cause of great concern to people, where is our money going? Like, this country does have money, there is no point in me saying that, but it is where it has been, is the issue of the waste water, and the U.S.C. has got an extra little building, but like, where is it going to be? I've looked at a report I got there from the minister the other day, he's telling me, every one of the, whether it is Shannon Vale in Clannock Hilty, or it is Ross Carvery, or it is Dunmanway, or it is Bella de Hobbes, or it is Goldeen, they're going to have to wait. They don't even know where they are in the 25-29 plan. So that means there is no plan, because if there was, they know it straight away. Every time we meet with U.S.C. that's what we're told, we don't know, are you in the plan? But to get the waste water, imagine swimming around in the surrounds of waste water, it's inhumane minister, and there is money there, and like you are saying, the country is a lot of money, but there is no, absolutely and utterly no accountability, and you know, quite a lot of people spoke here about means testing. Means testing is the carers announced, there are a lot of people there being hit very, very hard, that don't deserve to be hit, people that are working hard, and looking after loved ones, our neighbours, our friends, and can't, because of one reason or another, some small bit of an extra payment at home, maybe the other partner is working, and has an extra payment that blocks them from getting it. So that's a very unfair situation minister, you should have looked at now, when the country, as he so often says, there's lots of money out there, I'd like to know why isn't it going to the people like that, that are hurting and hurting hard, and you know, you have taxes, you have the USC, you have carbon tax, you know, and motorists are hit mainly, especially in rural communities, farmers are hit very, very badly, even you have such difficulties heaped down on fishermen, when there was a rebate for fuel for the fishermen, he wouldn't even apply for it and bring it into them to give them an opportunity. So all in all minister, you know, you have a lot of money, but a lot of money wasted, as far as I'm concerned, in this country, and that is one thing that we'll be going after very strongly, is accountability, accountability for where the money is, where the money is spent, and at least, at least, you know, people know where their hard-earned taxes are going, and this country is taxing people to the ground. Thank you.