Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Many children with special needs have been dependent on psychological assessment and many school principals must play God in deciding which children with serious problems will be allowed have a psychological assessment. That situation will continue in a budget that was supposed to address the situation with equity. We will continue to see children accommodated in temporary accommodation. There is no squaring up to the needs of families. Despite difficult times we should have found space to address families. There is no greater long-term investment than investing in the future of our children, particularly those in low income backgrounds. We want to see them progress, not drop out of school because their needs were not diagnosed in the early stage of their education.

There is little for older people to cheer about in this budget. The sum of €14 is not bad, compared to what Ministers might have given out, but it compares poorly to the €700 the Minister awarded himself. Older people are facing high increases in costs at present. Basic foodstuffs, which take up much of the older person's budget, are increasing extraordinarily rapidly, as is fuel. At least €12.50 of that €14 will be absorbed by meeting the increased cost of products. There will be little spare cash for people to make any slight improvement in their lifestyle.

Other areas forgotten in this budget include the living alone allowance. Why do we decide that 121,000 people who live alone should not get more than €7.70? This has not been changed in decades. Why do we decide that widows, who live alone with children, cannot access the free scheme unless they are aged 60? These are small changes that could have brought the equity that the Minister said would inspire his budget.

There will be an extra 60 cent per week in the fuel scheme to meet the higher fuel costs for older people this winter. It will not go very far.

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