Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I would like to give the Taoiseach some facts on the disability issue. Is he aware that St. Michael's House disability services have been told to accept a cut of 5.5%, increasing to 7%? Services for the blind have been told to take a cut of 5.5%. As a result, St. Joseph's Centre for the Visually Impaired on Grace Park Road on the north side of Dublin will lose €350,000. Jobs will be lost even though the staff of the centre took a voluntary 10% pay cut last year. The Disability Federation of Ireland has been contacted by its members who have been told to take a cut of 4.7%. This is the real frontline world for the families of children and adults with disabilities. I was told by people from one of the services yesterday that they had not seen the like of such cuts for more than 30 years. They want to know what the hell is going on here.

Does the Taoiseach realise that if residential places and services for adults with intellectual disabilities are closed down, in cases where parents die or there is a family crisis, in addition to the consequent humiliation, sadness, grief and trauma involved, the service provider will be forced to outsource to a private service which will cost taxpayers more money? From a humane perspective this is madness but even the economics are crazy.

In regard to mental health, does the Taoiseach find it acceptable in this day and age that five mentally ill women should be locked up over Christmas in St. Brendan's centre in Grangegorman because of lack of funding? I ask the Taoiseach to use the so-called €35 million promised in the budget so that these women can be respected and there be a compatible solution.

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