Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

However, there are requests for more money in every part of the social welfare budget. While the balance and proportions of expenditure and taxes can be varied, the troika has set expenditure ceilings. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly has professional experience, having worked with the World Bank and the IMF, and will know that in countries in which expenditure ceilings are part of the package, they are not as flexible as implied. Some variations are permitted, but total flexibility is not. In fairness to my ministerial colleague, Deputy Brendan Howlin, he has worked with the troika such that the budget reflects the proposed reduction in the pension ceiling - a change I have advocated for a long time.

I refer to Deputy Brendan Ryan's detailed proposal, about which I will speak to the Minister for Finance. It may be a matter for the finance committee and there is a job of work to be done. Given the collapse of the country, the position is difficult. We have to recover to enable us to have the social welfare system we all want.

If we do not see the other side of this programme and recover our financial sustainability, the people who will suffer most will be those dependent on the social welfare system.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh has given as an example a widow with three children, one of whom has special needs. She sent the Deputy an e-mail. A widow who is a carer would receive a weekly widow's pension and half-rate carer's allowance. These benefits, with some others, amount to over €18,000 per year. If the individual has two children in addition to the child who requires care, as the Deputy suggested, this will result in payment of a further €60 per week. Of course, a monthly child benefit payment will also be received. If the Deputy gives me the details of the case in question, we can check the position for him. With regard to respite care, the recipient will be receiving €1,375 next year for the child who requires care.

The Irish carer's package is unique by comparison with packages in the rest of Europe. Very few other European countries have a carer's package like ours, but there is a weakness in the provision of services. Deputy Johnathan O'Brien will know this, given the position of his father. If we are to have a discussion on this issue, which I welcome, we should examine holistically how we can have good value services available to those who provide care. This is one of the most important points for a carer. As Deputy Catherine Murphy said, various therapies for children with special needs, particularly therapies associated with speech, language and movement, probably represent the most important services a child can access, in addition to mainstream education.

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