Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Is minic a chloistear na focail “tapaigh an deis” nuair atá obair mhór le déanamh. Tá obair mhór le déanamh ag an Rialtas seo ach ní dhearna sé í inné. Níor sheas sé sa bhearna baol. D’fhan sé ar an imeall.

I am hugely disappointed that the Government rejected the many opportunities provided yesterday to address positively citizens affected by the lack of services and the increasing cost of living.

First, as a Teachta Dála representing a Border constituency, I fully accept and endorse the need to prepare for every possible outcome to the Brexit debacle presenting. As my colleague, Deputy Pearse Doherty, stated yesterday we support the decision to deficit spend in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

One of the very first things that my party called for was special economic status for the Six Counties and for Government here to invest in a Brexit stabilisation fund. Sinn Féin proposed a Brexit stabilisation fund of €2 billion to meet the challenge. This is the level of funding needed to properly respond to Brexit. The figures announced yesterday simply will not cut it and that will show very soon indeed.

We fully understand and support the need to provide against the worst excesses of Brexit but Brexit should not be used as cover to dodge responsibility to provide for essential needs and critical services. There was a clear opportunity to use the economic stability, that the Government never ceases to take credit for, to give a break to the long suffering disability community and to hard working families generally.

Crippling childcare costs are pushing many families to the brink in their monthly budgets. There is ample anecdotal evidence that people who are highly skilled and ready to re-enter the workforce simply cannot afford to do so. This requires an intervention. It requires targeted Government action. Increasing the amount of money directed at the sector does nothing to prevent further increases in fees and provides no protections to ensure that those working in the sector are paid and treated fairly. The Government's message to many groups in yesterday's budget could be summed up as “you are in our thoughts and someday we will get around to helping you”.

We already know what is needed. We do not need a re-statement of what the problems are, we need solutions and directly opposite those solutions we need hard data regarding how they are to be delivered.

Yesterday's ministerial statement associated documents contained little or nothing for the most disadvantaged and long neglected sector in Irish society, namely, people with disabilities. There is very definitely a serious block in the Government's attitude to the rights of people with disabilities. Let me make it clear: these rights are not aspirational.

As the vice chair of the Oireachtas disability group, I, along with colleagues, attended a meeting earlier this year with the Secretaries General of almost all Departments. We hoped that this would lead to a whole-of-Government approach to fully implementing the hope and promise of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, UNCRPD.

I had sincerely hoped that budget 2020 would at least give some indication of progress being made towards making the UNCRPD a reality, which it is not currently. There is now a clear mismatch between public engagement and pronouncements by Government and actual targeted provisions.

The restoration of the rehabilitative training allowance would not only have reversed a cruel and petty decision taken earlier this year, but it would also have signalled that the Government is listening to people with disabilities and their loved ones and listening and heeding informed voices in this House.

The fact is that there was little mention at all of disability provision in budget 2020. There was not even a UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, balance sheet provided detailing the cost of measures and the progress towards their implementation, as was previously promised. I note that €2 million is to be provided for an autism plan and for autism intervention teams. We have seen sight of neither. The funding announced is so far away from being drawn down that it is almost cruel to dangle such figures in front of affected parents, families and carers, knowing full well that we are many months off seeing its impact.

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