Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I listened last night to the introductory contribution on this motion by the Technical Group. I share the view expressed across the House last night and this morning that we should all aspire to protect the rights of the disabled and to improve the benefits of which they rightly avail. I am glad to say that is a common aspiration across this House. While I agree in principle with the motion, I believe some of the contributions made last night, which were outside the substance of the motion, were rhetoric that could have been left out of the debate. If we are serious about addressing this issue we should approach it in that way irrespective of on which side of the House we sit.

Ireland is virtually bankrupt and is operating on a day-to-day basis with the generosity of its European neighbours who give us €41 million per day to pay salaries, including mine, and the benefits for people with disabilities and social welfare recipients in general. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, on securing €1.5 billion for the disabilities sector this year. I admire her commitment in securing this funding. I am sure that like me, she and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, share the view that in better days we will be able to not only restore many of the benefits for the disabled but improve them.

I would like to comment on some of the contributions made last night. I have noted that many of the motions which have come before this House included the signatures of people who propped up the previous Government which ran this country into the ground and caused the financial difficulties now being experienced. It is dishonest to say to any sector that a budget could be introduced without affecting all sectors of society. This is what has happened. It is dishonest to pretend that one sector can be ringfenced in circumstances where this country is bankrupt. To pretend otherwise is dishonest.

Like others, I look forward to the recovery of this country and to the restoration of benefits and enhancement of the rights of disabled people when we are in a better position.

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