Dáil debates

Thursday, 8 December 2011

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage

 

What has the Minister got against children of eight years and more? What has she got against the disabled, large families and the elderly? It is not too late to change this. The Minister has made one row back of sorts. She should reverse this straight away rather than wait for Pat Kenny to show a video of something in February that will force a climbdown on some issue. Children, the elderly, home helps and the disabled all face cuts. The list is endless. Today the cut in terms of home helps was thrown at us, but I am sure there are many other issues. I urge the Minister, seriously and earnestly, to listen to the contributions of the rest of the House and the Opposition who have been listening to their constituents over recent days. Let us engage with one another to come up with a formula that will achieve the savings necessary to close the gap, but which will be a lot more fair and appropriate and which will have more widespread approval in the House. Let the Minister join the rest of us in the House in doing what we were elected to do, namely, to get the economy and our finances back on track. While this will be at the expense of the taxpayer, let it be at their expense in a more fair, just and equal way. Then we can all progress and bring the country back to where it should be. I will not support the Bill in its current form.

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