Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is what worries me. It seems very focused. It is great if people with disabilities want to work. I was involved with the partial capacity aspect. I was really enthusiastic about it because it allowed people with the capability, qualifications and whatever else to go and work. I was not saying to them that to really have a bit of comfort in their life they have to go to work because if a person has a disability his or her comfort in life should not be measured on his or her ability to work. Such a person should get enough from the State to live in reasonable comfort without being able to work or choosing to work. Even on the basis of Mr. Hession's figures, the best European example shows that 30% of people in receipt of disability payments work. This means that 70% are not working and have to live off the basic income. It was a concern to me that this is very much a case of whether we can help them work. I want to have everybody work, but I see that as a bonus not as something people have to do if they want comfort. There seems to be a bit of an emphasis on work, work, work.