Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

For those who applied, the proof is there in that they still have not got anything even though they can show clearly by their accounts and their bank accounts that they had no income in that period. I can stand over those facts. Those people have got some break this year because of the increase in milk prices etc., which I appreciate.

I spoke to a senior person in Teagasc this morning and was advised that pig farmers are in absolute desperation. While they may be seen to have big pig units, they have no income because the price of meal has increased so dramatically and the price of product has decreased so dramatically resulting in serious cash-flow problems. For two years they have been promised that a banking structure would be put in place allowing them to get finances to pay for their meal in time, but many of them are six months behind in payments to the millers and are incurring expenses accordingly. These people are in desperation and feel totally isolated. Given that I have talked about this so often, I had hoped there would have been some resolution and something would have been done about it.

It is impossible to believe that widows and widowers have been penalised once again. A widow or widower does not choose to be left without a spouse, often with a young family, a mortgage and whatever else goes with it. Their payments have now been curtailed to the tune of €16 in the past two years, which is extremely unfair. Carers represent one of the most important structures in the country and we are always being told that so many extra carers are getting benefit, which is right and as it should be. So many hospital beds have been closed that there is nowhere for older people to go. If it was not for the caring structures, involving home helps and carers, there would be considerably more trouble than there is and they deserve all the help they can get.

I understand the Minister is considering grading the different levels of disability, which I appreciate. I know people who were brought before the medical people in the past year and refused disability benefit, yet they were never examined or looked at by the medical people. The Department is paying for that examination and if anyone was going to a doctor to have an examination privately he or she would make sure he or she was properly examined. However, when somebody goes into a room and is told it is too cold to take off a coat to be examined and is told afterwards he or she is not eligible, questions need to be asked. There is a need to investigate this situation and those who are more disabled should get more benefits. As Deputy Kathleen Lynch said earlier, someone in a wheelchair cannot mow a lawn or do many other things. While these matters need to be considered, they need to be considered in a structured way so that people cannot tell the Minister or me, as elected representatives, that they have not been given a proper examination or properly dealt with.

Even at this late stage I ask the Minister to reconsider the cuts he is imposing on the widows, the disabled, the blind and others in that category before it is too late. We have heard lectures from Green Party Members, Deputy Mattie McGrath and others. For the past few months they have been telling us over the airwaves how they have stood up for the people. Today they will show if they are standing up for them or not. I cannot believe Deputy Healy-Rae, who is the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Social and Family Protection, would come in and vote in support of this Bill. As he does not often attend that committee, he might not be fully aware of the information we have been given by those with disabilities and others. That information is significant and they have put forward their cases very well. It would be impossible to understand how Deputy Healy-Rae could vote in favour of such measures.

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