Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I need a half an hour to go into the details of what I have to say because the reality is a disgrace. On behalf of the people of south Tipperary I ask Deputy Matthew McGrath, to come with me tomorrow evening and vote for the carer's association which has given great support to families and people in our constituency and families who live beside Deputy McGrath and me. I ask Deputy McGrath and the many other Fianna Fáil backbenchers to think of those people. If there is anything that needs changing or any amendment that needs to be put into the Bill, it should be the scrapping of the adjustment in the carer's allowance. It is wrong, it is cruel and the Minister should not have done it. The Government should be ashamed of itself and any Deputy with any guts on the Fianna Fáil backbenches, if he or she is worth his or her salt, should stand up and vote against it tomorrow night because that would effect something and it would bring something to our constituency.

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