Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Every Deputy was canvassed by Barnardos to deal with child poverty and there was a legitimate expectation this budget would address the issue. I am alarmed that nothing has been done to get to grips with child poverty. Over 100,000 live in consistent poverty but nothing has been done to increase the child dependant allowance, the lowest rate of payment for people in serious hardship on welfare. They are expected to survive on this €1.94 and deal with the problems of child poverty. That does not address this need.

Children are not at the heart of this budget. There was no talk of allowances for paternity and no effort to integrate child care services and child policies. We need a modern policy for child welfare that is joined up and that promotes the welfare of children by anticipating problems, one that does not react too late in the day and at a time when nothing useful can be done. That is the child policy the Government continues to pursue.

I welcome any initiative designed to help older people remain independent in their homes but the announcement today of €150 million for this purpose is less than the amount lost in PPARS in the Department of Health and Children. Older people will get less to support their independence than was lost in PPARS.

The 150,000 carers will get the same amount of money in support as was conceded in a cut in betting tax. Where is the sense of values when the needs of carers are compared to the needs of those wanting to cut betting tax? For far too long, for the Government, older people have been out of sight, out of mind. We saw that in the illegal deduction of money from people in nursing homes and the failure to provide an adequate inspection system, something the Taoiseach and Tánaiste promised months ago. We continue to see appalling discrimination against people in nursing homes. Some people go into nursing homes and make a contribution while others must sell their homes, draining every last penny before they get a brass farthing from the Government to support their needs.

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