Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

The first line of the Government amendment seeks for Dáil Éireann to acknowledge "the Government's expression of regret for the anxiety caused among older people in recent days and welcomes the new initiative to allay that anxiety". Anyone in Bray last night or outside here today will recognise that statement is not true and is not believed. Yesterday evening I heard on the radio a description of the coalition that had been put together last year as a rocket, assembled by the then Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, with several booster jets to make it secure. One of the booster jets, Deputy Finian McGrath, fell off the day before yesterday. I wonder why we are here at all because on several occasions he enunciated that he had done a €250 million deal with the Government. I presume that is now null and void. Perhaps we should investigate that deal to ascertain if we can save any money from it.

I ask those on the Government side to stop putting out the figures that this scheme originally cost €15 million and is now costing €245 million. It was looking to save €100 million. An amount of €145 million was there all the time. The Government should not claim it started at €15 million and is now costing €245 million. It never was. A total of €145 million is still intact on the basis of people who qualify under the social welfare system, as outlined in the Budget Statement. The only thing wrong is not that the Government fails to recognise this is a mistake and it is stubborn and obstinate but that it will not give in completely. The people do not trust the Government to leave the universal care for people with medical cards intact. It is open to manoeuvre by reducing income limits or raising age limits. Somebody said the age limit would be raised to 90, which illustrates the level of distrust among the elderly. It is not a sin to make a mistake but it is a sin not to acknowledge and rectify it.

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