Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

He is not prepared to address the fundamental issue we seek to address this evening. I recall the disgraceful situation early in this Government's term of office and in the budget of 2003. The Government was victorious in the general election and had an overall majority. It could do what it wished and deliver its programme. What happened? The Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, slashed funding across the board, including for St. Michael's House in my constituency and for people with autism. Unbelievably, that happened in the European year for citizens with disability and the year of the Special Olympics. That is how the Government delivered.

There have been seven long barren years. That is the reason Members on the Opposition benches are more determined than ever to replace the Government. A mini-election is taking place at present. People who meet us on the doorsteps tell us to get rid of this miserable Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government — many of them, perhaps one in six or one in seven, bring to our attention a desperate situation involving the health of a member of the family or of a child or relative with disability — but, unfortunately, we cannot do it, we are stuck here for another couple of years and stuck with this Government.

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