Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

That is a choice the Taoiseach made based on a recommendation received by him from the McCarthy report. He is looking for savings of €108 million out of a budget of €22 billion. He could protect the blind, the disabled and the carers at this time of the year, a time when we are celebrating the Christian ethos we are supposed to have.

There have been no cuts to the administrative budgets of the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment or Social and Family Affairs, a cut of €12 million in the Department of the Taoiseach, €62 million in the Department of Finance and €110 million in the Department of Health and Children. These total €184 million out of a recommended €600 million in administrative cuts. The Taoiseach could have quadrupled the savings in respect of what is required for the disabled, the carers and the blind but he did not do so.

After he leaves the Chamber this morning, the Taoiseach should call his colleagues together and accept the Opposition's claim that there are options. Savings of more than the €108 million in question would have been made if the Government implemented its anti-fraud measures properly or got rid of the quangos Fine Gael has pointed out. If it took the administrative cuts recommended for several Departments, it would have made the savings to allow the blind, the disabled and the carers have some sense of Christian feeling from the Government.

For the first time in 80 years a Government has not just made cuts but cut from the poorest of the poor. It has cut from those who are means-tested, blind, disabled, those who are listening this morning knowing the Government has no intention but of doing them down.

On the last Leaders' Questions for this year, will the Taoiseach go up to his office to give an instruction that these cuts in the allowances for the disabled, carers and the blind be reversed? I have given him three opportunities as to how he can do so.

See this speech in context