The Twilight Dáil Will Debate Social Welfare Estimates that Everyone Knows Are Not True
Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín TD will challenge the Caretaker Government on what he terms “Hocus Pocus Estimates."
He stated;
“It is now 110 days after the General election and shockingly we remain in a democratic twilight zone. It is startling first of all that these estimates are being presented Minister without a mandate who is still making critical decisions about the future of our country”.
“Today I received a letter from the Ceann Chomhairle who stated; ‘the caretaker administration is 'not accountable in the normal manner’, that only emergency legislation can be taken and that TDs cannot hold Ministers to account with Oral Questions. Today we have Social Welfare Estimates that by the very admission of the government are not accurate.”
“These estimates are made on the basis of that the Covid Payments are stopped in a fortnight. Yet the government states that these payments won’t be stopped. If the government is telling the truth we are been asked to pass estimates that are flawed and invalid. They are Hocus Pocus”.
“We the opposition are being blackmailed. We are told that if we do not pass these untrue estimates Social Welfare Payments will grind to a halt. I ask the Minister what other element of Irish society would organise its business in such a deliberately dysfunctional manner”.
“This is of course is if the government is telling the truth. The Government is on the record in saying the Covid Payments will continue after June. But in what format is the key question. I have no doubt that they will in some form or another continue but given these estimates and the government’s refusal to give real detail on the future of these payments there is every chance that there will be a significant change for many people”.
“If there is a significant change, Ministers with no Mandate are playing fast and loose with the democratic process. ‘Pass these estimates and then we will decided who gets paid’”.
