Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The issue raised by the Deputy is important in the sense that the quality of life for the persons involved is what is central to the entire argument. The purpose of the value for money report to which the Deputy referred is to ascertain the effectiveness of the expenditure of taxpayers' money in looking after persons who suffer from challenges because of disability. When one speaks to people who work in the service, they themselves point out opportunities where money could be spent in a better and more effective way. It is appropriate that there should be a debate in this Chamber when the report on effectiveness and value for money has come to hand and has been published. I meet people who look after persons with disability and I talk to people with a disability who face that challenge every day, some of whom are wheelchair-bound and others not. They themselves point out how things could be better or could be different.

It is not all about money but is about the best and most effective expenditure to enable those people to have the best quality of life. While I share that view with the Deputy, this is an opportunity for all elected Members, who as the Deputy noted are here by the grace of the people, to define a strategy and to decide what are the best and most effective results from taxpayers' money that is being paid to organisations, agencies or people in respect of the facilities people receive and the quality of life they derive from that as a consequence. I look forward to having sight of the value for money report to establish whether changes can be made that will make the quality of people's lives better because of more effective expenditure.

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