Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

There will be significant cutbacks next year in funding for repairs to houses for the elderly and disabled. Any elderly person who must raise a loan as a result of not being able to get funding under those grants will get no recognition by way of means assessment in order to make repayments to banks or building societies. The calculations are now based on their gross rather than on their net income. On this occasion, therefore, those people will be doubly penalised because the Government is taking away the housing grants.

For €20 million, one third of the cost of electronic voting machines, this issue could be resolved once and for all. The Government could have changed the regulations to enable pharmacies to dispense generic drugs instead of branded ones, saving €150 million, €50 million above the savings it proposes in this measure. If only the Government had charged the banks slightly more than €500 million it would not have had to proceed with this callous proposal. This Government's policy has been to save the banks and screw the pensioners.

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