Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have been trying to ascertain what this Cabinet sub-committee on social policy does. It covers a big range of issues that have a direct impact on citizens, but I would like to touch on three of these issues, two in some detail. These concern the cut in respite care and the effect this has had on thousands of families, the crisis in housing, and the mobility allowance scheme and motorised transport grants.

Surely a committee looking at social policy would consider mobility allowance and motorised transport grants. Let me sketch the history of this issue. Last February, the Government scrapped the mobility allowance scheme and the motorised transport grant, affecting 5,000 citizens and their families. The Ombudsman advised that these two schemes were in breach of the Equal Status Act and the Disability Act because some citizens were excluded from them - people who were over 66 years of age. Instead of setting social policy and bringing all of those citizens into the loop so that they could be treated on the basis of equality and be in compliance with the law, the Government scrapped the schemes, actively discriminating instead of fixing the problem.

The Minister explained by saying that if the Government kept the scheme going as it existed, it would be open to everyone over 65 who was defined as having a disability within the Disability Act, and it could not afford that. George Orwell could not have got it better than that: it could be open to everyone over 65 who had a disability. Surely that was what it was supposed to be about. One presumes social policy is about being socially just and fair. I want some idea of what the committee on social policy has done about this issue. When I asked about this last week, the Taoiseach told me it would be addressed through the health (transport support) Bill, but that Bill is not expected to appear before the end of this year. For all of this time, these citizens - people who need mobility support or who are disabled in some way - have been left with no support. We sit up all night to sort out issues for bankers, but surely the Government should be bringing in this legislation quickly. Has the committee given any consideration to speeding up the processes around the health (transport support) Bill, which the Taoiseach says will resolve these problems?

There has been a savage cut of €325, a 19% reduction from the previous rate, in the respite care grant. I know from dealing with these issues on the ground that this has made things dreadfully difficult for families caring for loved ones. There have been other cuts in respite services and home help hours also. We are told that the PRSI yield for the Department of Social Protection is €100 million ahead of projections. This means the Minister has flexibility. I call on the Taoiseach to do the right thing by carers. Return to them the €325 that was taken from them. This would cost €28 million, just one-quarter of the PRSI yield, and it would help 85,000 people who are caring for a relative with a serious illness or disability.

I may get a chance to speak about the issue of housing, but I just want the Taoiseach to deal with those two issues first.

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