Despite the Government's considerable efforts to put a positive spin on its cost-of-living package, the net fact is that the vast majority of workers, pensioners and social welfare recipients are going to be very considerably less well off because increases in the cost of living and inflation are far in excess of the small increases given in the budget and the one-off measures being proposed today. How can the Taoiseach justify that when those in the corporate sector, energy companies and corporate landlords and developers are making record profits? How can it be fair or justified not to take measures to address the fact that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer? Specific groups do not get any help at all. People on illness benefit do not get the fuel allowance. People who are over the social income thresholds do not get any rent support.

I thank the Deputy. We are over time.

The Government has let people down, despite its best efforts to spin today's package.

I certainly hope that does not turn out to be the case. We have always said that we cannot fully insulate everyone from the rising cost of living but that we would try to insulate people as much as we can, particularly those who are the most vulnerable. In any household budget, there are three elements. There is how much you get paid, how much you get taxed and how far the money goes. To take the first element, pay is going up. Public sector pay, private sector pay and the minimum wage are going up. Welfare payments are going up, including weekly payments and other payments as well.

It is a fraction of inflation.

Income tax is coming down. There is the rent tax credit. We are holding off on restoring VAT and excise rates, and we are reducing childcare, education and healthcare costs, student fees, public transport costs, etc. If you are examining this matter in the round, you have to take account of all three; you cannot just focus on one or on a part of one.