Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)

Having listened to his commentary that the closure was the decision of Fianna Fáil, which I do not dispute, I must state the reality is that the Deputy's party has an opportunity to open the factories if there is sufficient political will to put people back to work. I await that decision with bated breath.

One austerity measure that will affect many in rural areas, and my county in particular, is that to end funding for People with Disabilities Ireland, PWDI, from the end of this month. This will have a massive impact on Kerry Network for People with Disabilities as up to 70% of its funding came from PWDI. Its grant from the HSE had been already cut by 5%. The effect is that, in total, up to 16,000 people, including families, will be affected. There is a great effort being made by community groups and individuals to maintain the service. It is invaluable to those most in need. A large number of disabled people and their families will be at a real loss and it will greatly disimprove the quality of life of all concerned. The network was established in 1996 following consultation with people with disabilities. That clearly has been one of the reasons for its effectiveness. Withdrawing the funding, effectively leaving a death sentence hanging over the project, is an extremely retrograde step. It reflects the overall retrograde and anti-social nature of the austerity programme being implemented by this Government.

Another such step is the attack on the community employment schemes. These have been a chink of light to the 22,000 operators and approximately 500,000 who avail of the services and training. The schemes are of significant benefit to rural people and those in urban centres also. The centres around the country are a valuable resource for many groups but the cut to their budget, of 66%, will mean many will be forced to close their doors. Not only will that mean a reduction in the income of those directly concerned but also, and more important, it will be regarded by many participating on CE schemes as closing off the possibility of their improving their circumstances.

I referred last week to a number of people affected by this cut. It is clear from the many who have contacted elected representatives that a considerable number are in despair over their future and that of their children. I read two very painful letters in this regard into the record last week.

The motion refers to other similarly negative cuts, including the cuts to the farm assist scheme and the disadvantaged areas scheme. These will cut significantly the incomes of farm households that are already struggling. I refer to those on the lower, marginal level and who are trying to remain viable and to retain the quality of life of their families.

Apart from the increasing charges for those whose children are using public transport to go to school, the cuts to education overall will seriously impair not only the level of services provided but also the very ability of people to gain access to education. In combination, the budget and the overall austerity programme will further plunge the country into recession and exacerbate the serious consequences in all aspects of life.

The motion refers to the budget's anti-rural bias. There is certainly a perception that there is such a bias affecting many communities. The Government, no more than its predecessor, which was led by the party that tabled this motion, is not discriminating between urban and rural. It is not so much anti-rural as anti-community, anti-growth, anti-jobs, anti-enterprise, anti-development and anti-social.

I heard Deputy Ó Ríordáin from the Labour Party claim his colleague Deputy Nulty had acted selfishly in not supporting the budget. Surely he ought to applaud the courage of Deputy Nulty because his certainly was a courageous stand to take. He stood by what he was elected for and on what he campaigned. He was very badly let down by Frankfurt-Labour.

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