Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government cannot pull the wool over people's eyes. We had enough of that with the CSO report. Even the Governor of the Central Bank did not accept the report.

I again ask whether the Government will accede to the request of Deputy Martin last week to change how data are collected and have a proper assessment of the figures. Is the Tánaiste saying that this money will not have to be paid to the EU? Is she contradicting what her colleague, the Minister for Finance, said in reply to a parliamentary question?

I refer to services. The Tánaiste must not have heard "Morning Ireland" today. A woman spoke on the programme about how both her parents suffer from dementia but their home help hours were cut from 20 to four. That is a fact.

I have provided the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities copious examples of people who are living in their own homes and for whom home care packages have been sanctioned, yet who have been informed that the necessary resources are not in place to deliver services. Longford-Westmeath is one example. If a person dies and his or her home help hours are returned, only 25% of the hours are relocated. In any person's terms, that is a cut in services. What impact will the €280 million obligation have on services for the people we are honoured to represent in the House?

See this speech in context