INDEPENDENTS:INDEPENDENT TD Finian McGrath has admitted he took his "eye off the ball" in advance of the Budget. He said he would be lobbying the Government on medical cards for the over 70s and the imposition of the 1 per cent levy on persons who are not in the tax-net.
Independents Jackie Healy-Rae and Michael Lowry said the Government was honouring its arrangements with them and they would not be withdrawing support. The fourth Independent, Tony Gregory, does not have any arrangement with the Coalition.
Although he voted for the Budget in the Dáil on Tuesday night, Mr McGrath said: "I have major concerns in relation to the 1 per cent going on the lower-paid workers, that's a reality that's there. If there is an opportunity of changing that in the future I will push for a change in it, particularly in relation to the Finance Act that's coming up.
"But also in relation to the over 70s medical cards, yes, I have concerns about it, but when people look at the detail, the vast majority of the over-70s will still get their medical card. There's a lot of confusion out there at the moment, I think that will be bedded down in the next two weeks."
Mr McGrath said it was "a very, very difficult Budget" because of the economic situation in the country and he voted for it because of the commitments he received as part of an ongoing arrangement with the Government.
Mr Healy-Rae who represents Kerry South said he had "no intention in the world" of withdrawing his support for the Government. "They are honouring the deal I made with them," he said.
"The Minister for Finance and the Cabinet people did the figures for the Budget," he said. "It wasn't of my making. The Government will have to answer for it."
Mr Lowry, who represents Tipperary North, said: "I have supported the Government and I will continue to do that." His arrangement with the Coalition on behalf of his constituency was not an "a la carte" affair: "You have to take the package in its entirety."
The former Fine Gael minister said: "I have never yet, even in the good times, seen a budget that was universally acceptable and had a majority approval rating."
He thought the Government "made a political mistake" in not setting a minimum threshold of €30,000/€35,000 below which the 1 per cent levy would not be imposed.
