Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion and I congratulate my colleague on introducing it. It is difficult to believe that the blind, the disabled, carers and widows are among those who must carry the can for the bankers, builders and developers. It should be remembered that the €4 billion that had to be saved in the budget corresponds directly to the first amount paid to Anglo Irish Bank. We are all aware that support to that bank is by no means finished as of yet and it will never serve a purpose for this country.

There has been much bluff and bluster by various people in the House concerning the various things that had to be done in this budget, one of which was the carbon tax. It was suggested that it would save the world, but it has only served to create another form of taxation that will cost the disabled, widows and carers more money. The price of petrol has risen by 3.5%, diesel by 4.5%, natural gas by 6%, coal by 11.1% and so on. However, no relief has been granted by way of an increase in the fuel allowance. We were told that when the carbon tax was introduced, it would be used solely to improve the green image. However, the reality is those at the bottom will suffer most once again.

We know that changes regarding marked oil will not be introduced until 1 May. However, it will not qualify under the fuel allowance scheme and householders will require further support under the fuel allowance scheme in any case. It will cost a good deal more and old and disabled people require more heat than the rest of us. I note a comment from Rehab to the effect that disabled groups are especially concerned about the impact of these cuts. According to independent research, not Fine Gael research, it takes at least €40 per week more on average to support a disabled person. However, disability benefit is being cut by €8.30 per week in this budget.

The drug payment scheme is a brilliant idea. It has been in operation in the UK and Northern Ireland. However, Northern Ireland has stated that it will no longer run the scheme because it has not been the success that was originally anticipated. It is strange that we have followed the UK in the medical field and the Minister, Deputy Mary Harney, has proceeded with destroying small hospitals and so on. Although the UK is planning to change, we plan to implement its former position.

There are 1.4 million medical card holders. The possible cost to an individual is up to €120 per year. It could mean more in the case of some people suffering from depression and mental illness. They are allowed only a small number of tablets, perhaps a week's worth, must go more often and obviously will have a higher amount to pay. A disabled person will lose at least €450 and as much as €550 per year, depending on the amount of medication used.

I ask the Minister to look again at this situation. There are alternatives. She could save up to €300 million by implementing the use of generic drugs. Some drugs cost ten times more in this country than they do in the United Kingdom. How can that be justified? Drugs that cost €2 in the UK cost €20 here and yet we will not use generic drugs. I ask the Minister, for God's sake, to use the mechanisms available to us rather than take the money from those who can afford it least. My colleague, Deputy James Reilly, the Fine Gael spokesperson on health and a doctor by trade, has spelled this out clearly and specifically named the drugs that can be dealt with in this way. It is not pie in the sky.

It is a serious situation, however, for the lady in Bailieborough who is taking a serious quantity of drugs for diabetes, heart disease and depression. She telephoned me the other day when she heard this charge was to be imposed. A sum of 50 cents may sound very little to the Minister but when one multiplies it by the number of drugs this person takes it means she will have to pay the maximum every week. This is an extremely serious situation. I cannot understand why the Minister cannot take the sensible way out and buy the generic drugs available rather than force this charge on the disabled, people with depression and others.

Then there is deflation. We had a lecture from the Minister for Finance the other night about how good the budget was, that deflation was 6.5% and the disabled, the widows and the carers were to have cuts of only 4.1%. Of course, the consumer price index, CPI, figure of 6.5% includes mortgage holders. How many of the disabled, the blind or the carers are paying mortgages? They are not and so a completely false structure has been put on this to make out these people are not doing so badly. In one way I do not mind something being cut but putting such a spin on it and making out it is not a cut is a completely different affair. I urge the Minister for Finance to look again at his comments in that area.

That night I mentioned the situation of a widow and her three children. I know the Minister will return to this later and try to make out it was not an issue but I can tell her that when a lady leaves the bedroom of her 49 year old husband, goes down to get him a drink and comes back up to find him dead-----

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