Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair for giving me the opportunity to speak on the motion which expresses no confidence in the Government. I commend and thank Sinn Féin for bringing it forward because I, too, have no confidence in the Government's ability to fulfil its obligations to make political decisions and choices that will benefit the citizens of the State. I say this for many reasons, but mainly because of its failure to deal with the issues affecting people in their daily lives. The Government has penalised citizens for the actions and the greed of others. Is it fair that cystic fibrosis patients, for example, should be sent home from St. Vincent's Hospital in the middle of winter because there are no beds available in a new €22 million cystic fibrosis unit? Is it fair to cut the respite care grant by €325? Is it fair to cut the household benefits package? Is it fair to take €10 from the child benefit payment to the poorest families or low-paid workers? Is it fair to cut the telephone allowance by 50%, from €310 to €155 a year? Is it fair to cut home heating support payments for the elderly? Is this fair for the 57% of older people who suffer from a chronic illness, one third of whom have a disability? Is it fair to bring forward a budget that hits the poorest, while protecting the richest, making this a harsh society, and failing to stimulate our floundering economy?

Is it fair for a Government to be in breach of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which undertakes to protect, promote and fulfil the rights of children, by introducing a budget that is out of step with this obligation?

I would like to conclude by quoting from a letter I received today from Mr. Eugene Dowling who is the secretary of the Fine Gael branch in Dunboyne, County Meath and has a child with Down's syndrome:

I am writing to you as a very concerned father of a Down's syndrome boy. I am secretary of the Fine Gael branch in Dunboyne, County Meath, and I would know Minister Shane McEntee and Regina Doherty TD quite well and campaigned for them in the last election. For the first time ever, we won four seats in Meath East-West. I am particularly disappointed with this Government's cut to the respite care grant. This is a savage cut of 19.1%, or €325, to the most vulnerable people in society. You promised to protect these people in your election manifesto, but all we get at ground level is a kick in the face.

This letter was not written by a member of Fianna Fáil or Sinn Féin or a supporter of an Independent Member. That it was written by a Government supporter speaks for itself. If a Fine Gael party officer has no confidence in the Government's handling of the respite care grant issue, how can the Government ask anyone to have confidence in it? I, therefore, urge all Deputies to support the motion.

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