Micheál Martin: Budget shows 'advancement' of Fianna Fáil's Government priorities

These include funding increases in social welfare rates, housing for all and underpinning progress on healthcare initiatives such as the substantial package on women’s health and a focus on waiting lists which the party has been advocating for, Taoiseach said

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Government policy had allowed the economy to come back much faster than was thought in July. File picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

The €4.7bn budget package unveiled this week shows key advancement of Fianna Fáil priorities in Government.

That is according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, speaking as he addressed the Fianna Fáil's parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday evening.

"Funding increases in social welfare rates, housing for all and underpinning progress on healthcare initiatives such as the substantial package on women’s health and a focus on waiting lists which the party has been advocating for," he said.

"We have also seen the key priorities in education, with a huge expansion of Deis and recruitment in the special needs area," he added.

This will benefit many of those children in need and those in disadvantaged areas, Mr Martin said.

The Taoiseach said Government policy had allowed the economy to come back much faster than was thought in July.

The Taoiseach said the Government decision last week to send representatives to the service of reflection and hope has been done in the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA).

"As a party we drove the GFA forward. We have to keep doors open and understand different perspectives," he added.

The party meeting heard a Northern Ireland committee would be established by the party, which would give the party opportunities to engage and build new relationships across the island.

Party chairman and former minister Brendan Smith will chair the committee and it will have a programme of activity to deeper political, civic and political ties across the island for the party, Mr Martin said.

On the issue of the EU's response to UK demands for changes to the Northern Ireland protocol, Mr Martin said EU Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič had progressed practical solutions on the protocol. 

"Our objective must be to get a resolution to this. We must keep the institutions intact," he said.