Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on Second Stage of this Bill. However, I welcome the Bill with a sense of dismay bearing in mind the commentary on it by many organisations who for the past number of years were led to believe that there was an easier way to address the challenges facing individuals, communities and the country. These organisations were led to believe there was a painless, easier way out of the difficulties we were in. I will leave the issue of how we got here to commentators and historians.

The general election held in February of this year was an overwhelming victory for the Government parties, which is evident from Fianna Fáil's representation on this side of the House. However, it is important to highlight and analyse what was said by the parties in Government during the weeks leading up to that election and, more important, what was said by them in this House over a number of years prior to the election. What was said then and what has happened since is, in almost every facet and area of expenditure, diametrically opposed. When one looks back, the promises, commitments and stoking of fear perpetrated by Members opposite when on this side of the House was alarming.

Following a lecture from the Minister, Deputy Noonan, on Tuesday about Richard Mulcahy and the fiscal impropriety of our party, I took a look at Fine Gael's 2002 manifesto, which is an alarming read. If we are genuinely to engage in new politics, we must first have honest debate in this House. I have no difficulty, and have never had difficulty, accepting responsibility for decisions I made as an individual, as Minister or as a party member supporting a Government. I stand over those decisions, many of which were unpopular and did impact on the quality of individuals' lives. However, the intent of those decisions was never to hurt or offend people. Every decision I made, I made for the right reasons, despite their being difficult at times. Being a member of the previous Administration was exceptionally difficult. The decisions made caused huge upheaval in society and huge difficulties for individuals and families. However, collectively, we know that those decisions, as unpalatable as they were for individuals and for us as politicians to make, were made in the best interests of saving our economy in terms of the difficult period ahead of us. Many members of this Government were aware of the situation we were in at that time.

The first question I tabled in this House following the election of the new Government was to the Minister for Finance. I asked him if he was satisfied with the briefings he received from the officials in advance of the election, if they were full, fair and honest and if he was made fully aware of the difficulties and challenges facing the country at that time? The Minister, Deputy Noonan, following a briefing from the late Minister, Brian Lenihan and Department of Finance officials was under no illusions in regard to the distressed state of the economy. The Minister, Deputy Burton, then Labour Opposition spokesperson on finance at that time left the Department of Finance ashen faced on a number of occasions having learned of the full import of the difficulties and challenges we faced.

I will now comment on the Social Welfare Bill 2011, which contains many nasty cuts and has targeted particular sectors. I welcome the belated withdrawal of sections 7, 8, 9 and 10 in respect of entitlement to the domiciliary care allowance, disability allowance and disability allowance amendments. The reason for withdrawal of these sections is distressing. The Government thought it could slip this through, that it would not immediately impact on people and so would not be spotted for some time. Had it been passed, it would have meant that as people with disabilities reached the age of 16 years they would begin to lose benefits which others currently receive.

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