Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)

The problem with this debate is that it is based on the philosophy of fairness although no such fairness exists. Moreover, one should be honest and state there will be no fairness. Moreover, there should be no fairness for parents who have a child with spina bifida, as they should experience positive discrimination. It should not be a fair, broad spectrum model in respect of monetary or percentage cuts or taxation. There should be positive discrimination in favour of those who will lose out seriously. This is the point at which the Government's principle and philosophy of fairness is wrong, dysfunctional and will not work. The Tánaiste and her Cabinet colleagues have time to consider this point over the next number of weeks.

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