Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

It was brought to the Taoiseach's attention that a personable conversation between him and a young girl from Cork on the issue of disability was being uploaded on YouTube. Many people were genuinely disturbed by the inclusion of this nasty measure in the Bill, including Deputies opposite, who raised the issue with the Minister.

I am duty bound to highlight what I believe is a mean cut. Prior to the election, the Government engaged in a populist campaign with promises of no cuts to social welfare and no increases in tax. Given its need to honour that commitment, and in pursuit of populism, its hands were tied behind its back, leaving some people to carry the can. Unfortunately, those chosen were people in receipt of disability allowances. People on disability allowance carry the can for that populist decision and the Government's attempts to be all things to everyone.

The conversation in which the Taoiseach engaged with the young girl from Cork was uploaded onto YouTube. It was then that the Taoiseach foresaw a problem with this cut and met with the Minister for Social Protection in an effort to resolve it.

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