Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to discuss two matters in the couple of minutes available to me. At approximately 10.15 a.m. on Tuesday, 4 September, I returned to Leinster House and met the people with disabilities who were protesting outside. Two of them happened to be past pupils of mine. This morning, the Taoiseach stated that the cuts were dealt with swiftly, but how could a cut in respect of someone with a severe disability have been introduced? It should never have been on the agenda in the first place. They have many more stresses in their lives than we do.

We take so much for granted, such as getting out of bed in the morning, dressing ourselves, showering and going to the toilet. Every one of those actions must be thought through for a person with a disability, and the work of a personal assistant allows such people the dignity to carry on their lives as well as possible.

Three days later, people with mental health issues were outside the House protesting while the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, has been very vocal about the €35 million in funding and extra posts. The people involved are vulnerable and have enough stress in their lives without this additional worry. Leaving the moral and ethical argument out of this, on a purely economic scale, the Centre for Independent Living has indicated that to keep one person in hospital for a year amounts to €328,000, whereas providing a personal assistant would cost €119,000. The same calculations can be applied to older people and those relying on home care services and home help in trying to avoid bigger demands on nursing homes and hospitals. Cuts to home care packages will have a desperate effect; older people may be admitted to hospital for treatment but they may well end up staying there for longer if home care packages are cut.

I was outside the House today when people involved in home help were protesting. A number of these people were from East Wall and North Wall, so I know them personally. These people work far longer hours than what they are paid for, and we are in danger of losing that extra help. Cutting disability allowances, home help and personal assistant hours means that more people will become institutionalised or restricted in their homes. It will become more expensive to care for them.

The national substance misuse report had been awaited for a number of years, and it was a major collaborative effort between various Departments, agencies, community and voluntary sectors. It was published before the recess but it was disappointing that the Minister was not present at the launch, as that would have indicated that he took the matter seriously. I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State who was present. What has happened since as there has been no action taken on the report?

Alcoholism and addictions have a huge impact on society. It is ironic that one of the report's recommendations, if implemented, would generate income, and the other recommendations are cost-neutral. Nevertheless, the promised action, which could have had a positive effect, has not come about, whereas the action taken with regard to disabilities has had a profound negative effect.

See this speech in context