James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I accept that. However, we are discussing legislation relating to social welfare. We are also discussing people who care for others, namely, the disabled, those in the poorest sections of society, the blind and individuals with myriad other problems. It is interesting that a Minister of State from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is in the Chamber, which gives the lie to how this Government is approaching the problem. It is all about bean counting, not prioritisation or realising there must be cuts across the public services to reduce costs. Instead of prioritising these cuts, a blunt instrument has been used. The Government has gone after blind people, the disabled and the people who care for them. They are on a pittance as it is and large sections of society remain untouched. Pensions in excess of €100,000 for disgraced public servants, in some cases, are untouched. That is hardly justice.

This seems to be a concerted attack on the poorest sections of society. People talk about those in the private sector having suffered, and they have, but it is quite clear that the Government intends for many more to suffer. The budget provides for 75,000 more people to lose their jobs, which means 75,000 more people in receipt of social welfare and 75,000 more people trying to get access to a medical card. There is a concerted effort to deprive people of medical cards. I have received telephone calls from people all over the country, including from people next door to the office in Finglas. Some 100 people per month are being taken from the local GP lists. People cannot access their medical cards and a security guard is at the office to stop people from inquiring. Elderly ladies are being blocked by burly security guards. This is ridiculous. God help those around the country who do not know where to go to find out about the medical card being taken from them. People can go to the GP, who will never refuse to treat them. What about the pharmacists? How will they give out medicine when the patient does not have a medical card? They will not get their medicine and they will end up in hospital.

Today I heard about the 97 year old lady from north Dublin, who has been waiting for two days on a trolley with a fractured hip. She cannot have her operation because there is no post-operation bed available. What about her carer? We wish her well and hope she will be home soon. The Government is further undermining her.

The new measures on drugs and prescription charges are another attack on the most vulnerable and the sickest in our society. When one thinks about what has happened in the past where some people are on a pension of €500,000, having wrecked a bank and the banking system in this country and another man is escorted to jail by two gardaí for not paying his dog licence, it is a damning indictment of the sort of society this Government has created.

The cap on the dental excess will create a waiting list for medical card holders. People will be in pain with toothaches and will need fillings. It seems so frustrating for people because they know that this €4 billion is already gone. Anglo Irish Bank is already waving a flag for another €5.8 billion and the money saved in this budget, and more besides, will go straight to Anglo Irish Bank. Speaking on "The Last Word", the Tánaiste said that this money was off balance sheet. Matt Cooper's reply took the words out of my mouth when he said that this is the clever, smart alec accountancy that got us into this mess in the first place.

I oppose this section of the Bill. As I left Lusk, the back of the car of one of my constituents displayed "NAMA -- Nursing Assets for Ministerial Associates".

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